


Wild Abandon

by ZiriO



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Adrien is a Huge Flirt, Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha Alya Césaire, Alpha Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alya Césaire Ships It, Alya Gets What She Wants, Chat Noir/Ladybug Fluff, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Frottage, I refuse to take anything seriously, I write sin not tragedies, Masturbation in Shower, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, Nino Lahiffe Ships It, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Adrien Agreste, Omega Nino Lahiffe, Oral Sex, Plagg Being Plagg, Plagg Cares, Plagg is a Little Shit, Protective Ladybug, Protective Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Send Help Marinette is Dying of Thirst, Separation Anxiety, Shower Sex, Yet I feel like y'all expect this of me by now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2019-10-10 06:09:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 45,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17420534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiriO/pseuds/ZiriO
Summary: In a world where being an alpha, beta or omega only leads to an even messier, slightly more complicated layer to an already annoying adolescence, both Ladybug and Chat Noir seemed to have passed through their teenage years mostly unscathed. At least until the strain of his social life and his superhero life trigger a domino effect in both himself and his partner that leads to more than one revelation among the dynamic duo. Will Adrien be able to juggle his hero life around these new and overwhelming urges? Will Marinette be able to handle her crush's wild moodswings? Or will Alya finally get her wishes of seeing her two favorite ships finally set sail by playing the dirtiest trick in her book?And what on earth will Papillion do once he realizes what's going on with the heroes? So many things to deal with, and that's not even taking their university courses into account! All in all, it seems the unsuspecting mates have more than their fair share of work cut out for them, all they have to do is roll with the punches and see who (or what) comes out on top.





	1. To Soothe A Savage Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo....funny thing about this story. I swore I would never write one of these like...A BAZILLION years ago back when they first started flooding the fandom. They all seemed too heavy on the non-con and other, more squicky sorts of tropes that I am not at all a huge fan of. "But ziri why are you here NOW?" you ask?
> 
> WELL IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE been one of those times where you and a bunch of friends sit around yelling about Why Something Sucks and how you can only find like, two or three things that aren't as bad as the rest, and then someone says that someone should try to do it Differently. Plus I read at least two really well done a/b/o fics here in the ML fandom that I hoarded as one of my most secret, guiltiest of pleasures and I may or may not have been Inspired. Which is how I ended up having a talk with the squad of ML fic authors and it ended up with MiniMinou and I slamming out a full plot outline in like...a couple hours? And then I suddenly had 10k written? And honestly with all the monster lover stuff I write I was already halfway down the slippery slope from one kink to the next and it was probably just a matter of time before I finally cracked so HERE I AM.
> 
> Y'all are stuck with me and my monster-bae nonsense.
> 
> SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, this is ZiriO signing on with YET ANOTHER sMUTTY CHATDRIEN STORY in which the catboy finds out there's more to his Miraculous than he bargained for, and I refuse to write anything that borders on non-consentual, but I go all in with the fun bits because who's here to stop me? I don't see any Fun Police, and MiniMinou's only been encouraging my horrible hijinks from the start so really, most of this fic can easily be blamed on her.
> 
> WILL I FINALLY STOP WRITING REVEAL FICS? Will the slew of Lovesquare Ever Cease? Will I ever get around to writing ACTUAL DJWifi instead of simply blasting it in the background of every Ladybug fic I write? Sit back and enjoy as you read on to find out more, and tune in next time to see what other, more ridiculous things I write in my author's notes as I can't even be bothered to try and rationalize my gross self-indulgent nonsense! ZiriO out!

Normally when an akuma went down quickly, it was something to celebrate. True, when they spent most of the time chasing them down across the city it could hardly be called a fight and was more exhausting, but Ladybug considered it a job well done. She held out her hand for her customary fist-bump, except it never came. Puzzled, she turned and looked around for her partner, only to feel a jolt of alarm go through her at the sight of him.

“My lady, I don’t feel so well…” Chat pressed a gloved hand to his flushed face, sweat dripping from his brow. He was so much taller than her after his most recent growth spurt, and normally he was incredibly imposing, putting his new height to use when taunting akumas. Now he seemed to be caving in on himself, wavering on his feet as if he was too dizzy to stand as his tail dragged along behind him, totally limp. At his side in a heartbeat, she lifted a gloved hand to cradle his cheek, tipping her partner’s face to get a better look at him. He looked like he’d come down with a fever, his cheeks flushed and eyes glassy, though he was quick to press his face against her palm, nuzzling into her hand with a pained groan.

“Oh Chaton, why didn’t you say anything sooner? You look awful.” Ladybug felt something in her chest tighten at the stricken look on his face, the sounds of discomfort he made making her body itch to do something. Anything to fix it, to help him feel better. He always leapt at the chance to do the same for everyone else, but she found herself at a loss as he collapsed into her, burying his face in the hollow between her throat and her shoulder, dragging her to her knees with his weight.

“What’s wrong?” while Carapace worked with the medical workers to help the akuma victim on the street below, Rena bounded onto the roof next to them, her ears twitching as she crouched next to Ladybug. With an ugly twist in her stomach, Ladybug could only shrug, cradling Chat close and running her fingers through his hair.

“I...I don’t know, all of a sudden he said he wasn’t feeling well and now he’s like this. He was fine during the fight, wasn’t he?” Her fingers stroked his spine as he keened sharply, his breath escaping him in hot puffs against her throat. It was _very_ distracting, but she had to push that to the side, along with the smell of whatever shampoo he was using and the usual very Chat-like scents that were comfortingly familiar. Yet there was something about them today that she couldn’t place. His scent seemed almost cloying, dizzyingly strong, and she would have chalked that up to the fact that he was in her arms and—and _nuzzling her!_

With a surprised squeak, Ladybug jolted at the feel of his hands on her sides, ghosting up her ribs and trailing his claws along her suit in a way that certainly was _not_ normal for Chat. The sounds he made were still needy and desperate, but with the way he was mouthing her suit she had a feeling it wasn’t because he was getting sick, but rather something else _entirely._

“Rena,” desperation colored her voice as she glanced to the vixen heroine, whose eyes went wide at Ladybug’s anxious expression, tall ears flicking toward her. “I think he’s just hit his...his…” Flapping a hand towards Carapace who’d just landed on the roof next to his girlfriend, Ladybug made a pained expression and tried to ignore the plaintive sound Chat Noir made at the loss of her touch from his hair.

“You know! The thing!” Wincing, she didn’t want to _say_ the word. It was embarrassing, it was one of those things you just _never mentioned_ in polite company (not that they ever had any reservations about that sort of talk when it was in jest), and she was suddenly so embarrassed with her arms full of her _most definitely writhing partner_ that she wanted to die from shame. Of all the things! She couldn’t even carry him _home_ to make sure he got there safely! If only he’d just stop squirming against her like that, she’d be able to handle this a little better, but there was something about the way he was trying to nibble at her as he shifted against her that made her feel as if she was going to combust. It didn’t help that Rena frowned at her in confusion before throwing her head back and letting out a barking laugh, her coattail waving.

“Rena, it’s not funny!” Ladybug hissed, trying to peel Chat’s hands off her sides and keep his mouth from latching onto her shoulder or throat with little success because she just didn’t have enough hands and he was _very_ determined. “Chat, _hands!_ Behave!” At least the scolding seemed to work, her partner going limp against her yet still shivering from the heat burning him up from the inside. Even if it meant he was back to nuzzling her throat and letting out the needy sort of sounds that left a hot hook somewhere beneath her navel and kept _yanking_ at her. _Why_ did he have to be so devastatingly handsome to begin with, it just wasn’t fair!

“No, no, you’re right.” Rena pressed a gloved hand to her forehead, waving the other even as she had to shrug off another bout of chuckles. “It’s really bad timing. Maybe you can get him coherent enough to tell us where we can leave him?”

“I don’t want to leave him _alone_ like this!” Panic flared in her gut at the thought, her grip on her partner tensing instinctively. Just the thought of someone coming across her poor Chaton while he was incoherent and woozy and something bad happening was enough to leave her seeing red. Yeah, the flirting was a bit overkill at times but he was still _her_ minou and she wasn’t about to let him get into trouble simply because he’d...he’d…

_Ugh!_

“Chat, no _licking_ either!” Her voice rose to a squeak as she felt a flash of heat go through her, his lips having found the collar of her suit and whatever he was doing, it was _very_ distracting. “Please, just...just rest, minou. We’re here, I’ve got you. Shhhh, Chaton…” Distracting him with scratches seemed the best way to prevent his wandering paws and more _exploratory_ voyages his mouth was making. As soon as she found the favorite places along his spine and scalp he went quiet, the plaintive mews turning to a deep purr that warmed her all over.

“We could take him to Master Fu’s place? He knows where Chat lives, right? If we just leave him with Master Fu, then—”

“Then Master Fu will be able to send him home when this passes!” Ladybug lit up in excitement, relief flooding her and chasing off the uncomfortable itching feeling that was creeping over her. “Carapace you’re a genius!”

“Well, I do try on occasion.” He grinned sheepishly, reaching up to tug at his hood. “That and I’ve got a pretty good idea I know what he’s going through, I was just lucky enough to have help.” A soft smile graced his features as he glanced to Rena, who looked particularly smug.

“Only the best.” She chirped, tossing a heavy curl of hair over her shoulder. Still, it hardly made Ladybug feel any better, she was going to have to leave poor Chat and then run, her timer ticking with a merciless finality with every beep in her ear.

“Can….can I leave him with you?” Something in her quailed at the thought, looking down at Chat’s sweat-soaked face as she brushed his damp bangs out of his eyes. “My earrings are…” Biting her lip, she hugged her partner close, burying her face in his hair to hide the way her eyes burned suddenly. She didn’t want to let him go, he needed her, but if she stayed, all of Paris would see her. Rena and Carapace crouched beside her, and she felt a new set of claws brush her spine, Rena’s hand warm as she rubbed Ladybug’s back.

“Go on, LB. We’ll take your dashing tomcat off to the vet while you go hide your pretty face. Don’t worry.” Rena smiled, playfully tousling Ladybug’s hair as Carapace gathered up Chat into his arms. “We’ll make sure he’s still in one piece when we drop him off. Now scoot, you’ve only got a minute left!”

With an anxious last goodbye, Ladybug had to force herself to look away, sickness churning in her stomach as she took off across the rooftops to find a good hiding place. It never once made her wonder why she was so torn about leaving him, simply chalking it up to worry over one of her closest friends as she felt the wind rip at her, her thoughts always wandering back to the way he’d still tried to cling to her hand as she’d stepped away and left him with Carapace.

It was going to be an unbearably long week.

* * *

In the end, guilt and a deeper nagging feeling had her turning to follow her companions on foot even as she watched their shadows pass overhead, bounding from one rooftop to the next. After hurriedly sneaking Tikki a snack, Marinette had found herself on Master Fu’s doorstep, her heart pounding and palms sweaty as she clenched her hands into fists at her sides. Even though she knew Master Fu would have everything under control, she couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter what, she _had_ to know that Chat was safe. So after a moment of shivery anxiety, she lifted her hand to knock on the door. The seconds seemed to crawl by as she waited, fidgeting and bouncing where she stood, and practically leaping through the door when the soft-spoken master finally opened it wide enough. He waited until the door was closed behind her before speaking, not bothering to comment on her anxious fluttering and her impatience.

“Your cat is doing as well as he can be, young Ladybug. Carapace was quite right to think that this was the safest place for him until the fever passes and he’s well enough to walk.” He beckoned to her to follow him, and she left her shoes in the entryway, kicking them off in her rush to chase after him.

“Master Fu, do you know what’s wrong with him? He sounded like he was just fine during the battle and then afterward—!”

“He collapsed with the fever?” Master Fu motioned for her to sit at his low table, turning away only to begin brewing tea. “He has been working very hard of late. The strain alone has pushed his body and his bond with his Miraculous further than most, and it seems he has entered his heat early because of it. Combat forces the body to produce more adrenaline and endorphins, and so it has pushed him to the final stages of his growth as a Miraculous holder, as well as many other things.” Returning with a tray laden with three tea cups, he set two on the table and gestured to her to drink, straightening to carry the last one to a side room.

When she heard a soft murmur that sounded like Chat, Marinette had to resist the urge to leap up and go to him, surprised by how overwhelming the need was. Biting her lip, she squirmed in her seat, knowing she couldn’t go be with him as she knew neither of them had their masks on. His timer had been due to run out only a minute or two past her own. So instead, Master Fu returned to find her sullenly sipping her tea, casting furtive glances to the door he’d just returned from, and the elder had to stifle a chuckle.

“He’ll be fine, Ladybug. The heat has yet to fully awaken in him, so he’ll be safe to walk himself home once this has passed. It will be a few days more before he begins showing all the signs of an omega.”

“An omega? Really?” Well it certainly explained how clingy he always was, even if the rank surprised her. Omegas were commonly very tactile, seeking out sensory stimuli that soothed them, though the stimuli was widely different from one omega to the next. Chat Noir was drawn to warmth, soft fabrics, and tended to rub himself against his favorite people in a way she’d never quite pinned as scent marking, simply chalking it up to him delighting in playing up to his hero persona. He had a voracious appetite for sweets, and she knew he loved Jagged Stone as much as she did. Still, while the fact that he was an omega made so much sense in hindsight, that still didn’t explain why his sudden spike of pheromones had smelled so strong to _her_ , and she said as much to Master Fu, who watched her with a hint of surprise.

“Why would it not? You and the Black Cat are opposites, a balance in all ways.”

“But Master Fu, I’m a beta, I’ve never reacted to an omega in heat before.” Her brows furrowed, thinking back to Nino’s first heat, and how she hadn’t even seen it coming. Unlike Chat, Nino had been an early bloomer, triggered by fighting Anansi from the sheer stress of Alya being in danger alone. Marinette hadn’t seen it coming, though Alya _had_ , and had guarded her boyfriend jealously until it had passed. They’d been bonded ever since, and it had only enhanced their teamwork, especially after the Hero’s Day disaster. Master Fu’s expression was unreadable as he sipped his tea, watching Marinette over the rim of his cup.

“Are you really? That is quite the surprise.” He seemed ready to say more when a plaintive noise came from the other room, sending a jolt through Marinette that had her on her feet before she’d realized she’d moved.

“Chaton…” she moved to reach for the door, pulling back at the last second, staring at her hand as if it was someone else’s. The fact that there was a soft hiss in response and a muffled sound, like someone straining to move, had her across the room and pressed against the sliding paper door before she’d had a chance to finish that thought. “Minou, you should rest.”

“My lady…” the pained whine cut her deeply, leaving her screwing her eyes shut as she pressed her forehead against the wooden lattice. Her poor Chaton, she had no idea how miserable he was and it hurt to know there was nothing she could do to help him like this. The scent of leather and clean linens and that awful camembert cheese that Plagg loved was thick in the air and leaving her dizzy. She wasn’t entirely sure if it was her imagination or if she truly could feel heat radiating off the delicate paper that separated them.

“It’s all right, I’m right here. Just lie down and rest, and just make sure you drink the tea he gave you too, okay?” Her fingers brushed across the wooden frame, wishing she was in the room, wanting to pet his hair and rub his back until the pain eased and he wasn’t making those heartbreaking keening sounds anymore. After a moment of silence, she could have sworn she heard a sullen “ _fine_ ” and a rustle of bedding before Chat went quiet again.

“Feel better soon, mon minou. Master Fu will take care of you and I’ll see you soon. Okay?” No it wasn’t okay, something inside her was clawing at her ribs, itching to break free and slam the door open and pull him into her arms. He was hurting and he shouldn’t be, and everything in her fought against her as she turned away from the door and settled across from Master Fu so she could finish her own tea.

Her hands were shaking as she lifted the cup from the table. If Chat Noir was an omega, what did that mean for them? Would his heats make him more vulnerable during akuma attacks? If so, then she’d have to work twice as hard to keep him out of danger, though there was an even worse thought twisting her gut.

If he was finally presenting as an omega, that meant an alpha would surely sweep in and snatch him up right away. The question was, _why did that knowledge bother her so much?_ She’d spent years telling him they were friends and partners, and that she still loved someone else. Yet the idea of some other alpha marking Chat as their own made her want to scream. There was no reason for her to feel so...so _possessive_ like this! Just because she was his partner didn’t mean she owned him! Only horrible people thought like that. Yet here she was, staring down at her tea, while a black, viscous, hot knot of jealousy churned in the pit of her stomach over some made-up alpha swooping in and carrying off her Chaton. This was _insane,_ her lips twisting as she took a swig of her tea, sputtering as she immediately burned her tongue for her efforts.

Could the week seriously get any worse?

* * *

For a while, Chat Noir had the delirious thought that he was going to die. Burning up from the inside with a fever that seemed to be determined to incinerate his bones and melt him from the inside out, leaving him blinded by his own sweat and tears. Everything was too much, his skin prickled, his suit suddenly too tight, and for all his gasping there was never enough air. He was drowning in a sudden flood of information, he could taste the scents in the air; that sharp notes of cayenne and paprika that followed Rena, hot and fiery and burning him, Carapace too cold with the herbal notes of tea and crisp vegetation, yet he honed in on the soft warmth that drew him in like a moth to flame. Sweet like roses and warm like fresh cookies from the oven, sugary vanilla and cinnamon, honey and sunlight and spring like wild meadows. He wanted to bind himself up in it, bury himself in it until the fever passed.

Ladybug’s voice was a gentle hum that washed over him, her fingers carding through his hair, combing it with a gentle tenderness that soothed the ache that crept up his spine and dug its claws into his joints. His purr rose unbidden as he buried his face against her warmth, soothing away the fire in him, her softness pillowing him. Chat’s body molding to hers instinctively, strong arms cradling him close and slowing his pounding heart knowing that as long as he lay here he was safe. Nothing would touch him as long as she held him close, humming softly in his ears, and all he wanted was to bask in it, taste the sweetness that filled him to the brim with every breath. Before he knew, his lips parted, brushing across her smooth suit, seeking that sweetness that he knew he’d find. He wanted her to know how much he needed her soft touch, how much he wanted her to never let him go. The tip of his tongue found the soft place behind the corner of her jaw, flicking across her skin, and she tasted just as sweet as he could have dreamed.

Later he would have realized he’d probably deserved the scolding that came after that, the words lost to the sound of her pounding heart, a sweet melody that mirrored his own. Yet the tone of voice was sharp, commanding, and he moved on instinct, bowing his head in acquiescence to his lady, once more content to lay against her now that he knew for certain she tasted as lovely as she smelled. Maybe one day she’d allow him another taste, if he asked politely. Brought her gifts that she deserved, his lady was a queen and deserved nothing less. 

Yet he knew something was wrong as she clutched him closer. The grip was too tight, and she sounded close to tears. Why? He should take care of her, she needed him. Yet he was being pulled away, his hand instinctively grasping hers, trying to hold on as long as he could so he could feel her soothing warmth.

The beeping of his ring cut through the haze, and he roused enough to realize what that meant, though the fog closed in on him before he could do more than dimly note he would detransform soon, and that his lady had left him. No, he was _taken_ from her which was so much worse. Discontent stirred up an anxious grumble in his chest, his brows furrowing as he tried to fight the hold, wanting to return to her only to find himself crushed against a solid chest.

“Hang in there, bro. You’re safe, I’ve got you, man.” Carapace. He knew that voice. It wasn’t who he wanted, but he went limp in his arms, sulking forlornly.

“‘s _hot._ ” He mewed, his ears flattening to his skull, tail lashing unhappily. A sympathetic chuckle came from nearby, and claws ruffled his hair, but it wasn’t right. It was like someone rubbing his fur the wrong way and he bristled, bearing his fangs.

“Hang in there, alley cat. We’re almost to a safe place. Ladybug wants you to stay there until you feel better, you understand?” The tone of voice was not a command, not exactly, and it wasn’t his _lady_ , so the urge to rebel, to snap back, ignore it completely rose and yet… Rena was one of his favorites, she wouldn’t lie about something their lady said. _His_ lady said. His lovely lady with her fire and sweetness and...well, if she wanted him to stay put he supposed he could. For now. _Maybe._

“You two are gonna transform back soon, sorry we couldn’t leave you with her, Chat.” Carapace’s quiet words soothed the bristling irritation that crawled across his skin, and he let out a heavy sigh. It was true, even if he would have gladly let her see him without his mask, as long as it meant he could lay in her arms all day, he would have. The rules had never rankled him more as they did now, regretting the distance put between him and his lady by the moment. It grew so strong and he wanted her so much he could have sworn he kept catching snatches of her sweet scent on the breeze, and he wasn’t sure if it made him feel better or worse.

“I guess.” So he closed his eyes, and let the fog wash over him, a hot, sticky sort of darkness closing in as he fell into a fitful, dreamless sleep. When he pried his eyes open again he was squinting up at an unfamiliar ceiling, laying on a mat on the floor and with a blanket drawn over him. Stifling, too many unfamiliar and ghastly smells making him struggle with the blanket, baring his fangs and hissing.

“Woah there, loverboy! Don’t strain yourself.” An overwhelming reek of camembert almost made him retch, the room reeling as he tried to push himself up.

“Ladybug…”

“Told you to stay put, kid. You’re not feeling so hot, and I won’t exactly be able to carry you home myself, you know.” Plagg shook his head, ducking under the blankets as the sliding door rattled in its frame and slid open. Adrien hunched, bristling until he recognized Master Fu, and let himself fall back against the pillow as Plagg peeked out from beneath the blankets.

“Plagg is right, Chat Noir. For now, it is best for you to recover your strength until the preliminary signs of your first heat have passed. Now that the fighting is over, it is time to rest, and take care to prepare for your heat to properly begin in the next few days.” Fu carefully set a tray down with a cup of tea on it that Adrien eyed warily. Well, it _smelled_ fine, much better than Plagg at any rate.

“The doctor said it wasn’t supposed to start for another week.” The words came out as a whine, the effort to move leaving the room spinning. Master Fu pressed a hand to his forehead, and while Adrien allowed the touch, it just wasn’t the hand he _wanted_. He wanted his lady’s fingers in his hair, and he couldn’t stop the sulk that furrowed his brow.

“You are not like most young men, Chat Noir. Your miraculous has kept you protected until you were strong enough to withstand the trials that come with fully maturing as an adult omega. Did you never wonder why it was you took so long to ‘present,’ as it were?” The master’s brows rose, and Adrien felt a look of alarm wash over his face. “It is the same with Ladybug, who has been growing in strength to be your balance, though I am certain you have already decided long ago that she is the only one you can stand to be near in this state. You are many things, Chat Noir, but subtle is not one of them.” Master Fu smiled down at him, pointing to the cup that was still steaming.

“Now, drink that before it grows cold. It will help the symptoms.” He turned to go, while Adrien pouted, his nose wrinkling.

The old man was talking to someone and he almost tuned it out, watching Plagg peer into the teacup and sniff the steam before pulling a face and darting back to bury himself against Adrien’s neck. For a moment, the young man came close to closing his eyes and trying to sleep again when the hair on the nape of his neck prickled. A soft voice answered Master Fu, and it was like an electric current ran down his spine, the heat in his skin flaring instantly. Was it his lady? It had to be! His ears straining, he cursed the fact that he couldn’t make out the words, his heart pounding and his nostrils flaring to try and catch the barest whiff of her scent. The faintest trace of it was in the air and he closed his eyes, drinking it in and feeling a high keening sound slip from him unbidden. All he wanted was to pull the door open and fall into her lap, lose himself in her touch.

“ _Chaton._ ” Her voice washed over him, soft and sweet, cooling the burning feeling that threatened to wash out his thoughts. He bared his fangs and hissed at the blankets that bound him, struggling to free himself from them, kicking them away like they were trying to trap him. She wanted him to rest, but how could he when he was so hot and uncomfortable? When all he wanted was to pull her to him and bury his face in her hair?

“My lady…” The whine was full of longing and frustration, his pain making him sound pitiful and small. Like a lost kitten crying for help and he hated it. He could have easily pushed the door open, brush his bare hand against her, touch her hair and let it slip through his fingers, count the freckles on her soft cheeks. He pressed himself against the lattice, baring his fangs at the barrier that kept him from her, nostrils flaring as he scented the air, taking in more of the sweet scent. For a maddening moment, he thought he could feel her presence, her hand close to his with only the paper and slender lattice between them, and he could have sobbed with the unfairness of it all. She was so close, but years of carefully following Master Fu’s rules had instilled an almost unwilling obedience into him. Not until Papillion was defeated. Not yet. _Patience._

He loathed and hated it almost more than being caged. Her quiet words soothed him when her touch was denied him. He closed his eyes, resting his head against the door as he soaked in her words, imagining the softness of her gaze and the tender touch of fingers in his hair. Somehow he still had the self control not to dig his claws into the fragile frame of the sliding door, tearing himself away to slink back to the mat laid out for him and the tea his lady had asked him to drink.

Soon, she’d said. She’d see him soon. It would have to be enough, though he drank his tea and bundled himself up in the blankets, struggling to convince himself that listening to her speak would just have to tide him over until then, in spite of the way his chest ached fit to burst. Baring his teeth once more in dismay, he hid his face by draping an arm across it and told himself he was too old to cry over not getting what he wanted.


	2. Tease and Torment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kept up at night worrying about the safety of her sweet Chaton, Marinette struggles to function the next day. Seeing an opportunity too good to pass up, Alya has some tricks up her sleeves to see if she can't brighten her roommate's day. Yet what does that mean for Adrien now that his own body working against him, when he finds himself in a tricky situation thanks to a carefully planned foxtrap? The worst is yet to come now that things are only just beginning to heat up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I try to stick to a weekly schedule, BUT. I did promise EtoilesJaunes that if she packed for her trip on time I would bribe her with more of this fic. SO. SINCE I DID PROMISE. Here I am, back again, BRINGING YOU PIPING HOT SHENANIGANS of the goofy type because really. I don't seem to remember how to write things seriously. If you're here for serious characters doing serious things then honestly I have no idea what to say to you. I know some very excellent authors who write far better spice than me that I can refer you to BUT. SINCE YOU'RE HERE, I'mma assume y'all know what you're in for.
> 
> So without further ado, please sit back, relax, and enjoy! Tune in next time to see what kind of hijinks Marinette and Adrien get in to next! You won't want to miss it~ ♥!

How Marinette made it through the next day, she wasn’t sure. After Chat’s collapse after the fight, she’d barely slept, worry gnawing at her insides just from the memory of the awful sounds he’d made and the pained look on his face. Her poor Chaton, she just hoped he’d gotten home safely. If anything ever happened to him she’d never forgive herself, and it must have been obvious on her face as she sat slumped in the dining nook of the apartment, her chin propped up on one hand as the other cradled a piping hot mug of tea to ward off the winter chill.

“Wow girl, you look like a _mess_.” Alya winced as she got a good look at Marinette’s birds-nest hair and the deep shadows under her eyes. Either the girl had gotten no sleep, had forgotten to take her makeup off before bed _again_ , or both. Alya was willing to bet it was both. Marinette couldn’t even manage proper words, simply letting out a pained groan as she rolled her eyes. So attractive. Shaking her head, Alya reached out to comb the bangs back from Marinette’s face and to get a better look at her. Well, she didn’t _feel_ feverish, so that was a start. One less thing to worry about if Marinette hadn’t brought a plague home with her from her long nights in the fashion department at the university.

“What time did you even get home yesterday?” Alya pursed her lips, casting a glance over her shoulder as she poured her coffee into her Rena and Carapace mug. A joke gift that she’d gotten years ago and had used almost constantly since. Marinette’s head met the counter with a mighty thump, narrowly avoiding her own cup as she made an even noisier moan into her arm.

“I don’t even _know_ , I spent the whole night trying to sleep but I just couldn’t.” Lifting her head, her fingers dragged down her face, and Alya had the most pleasant view of Marinette’s bloodshot eyes and the inside of her eyelid. The most elegant and graceful, her Marinette. Once she’d thoroughly ruined her coffee with the proper amounts of sugar and cream, she rested a hip against the counter and raised her mug, watching her best friend do her best impression of a Salvador Dali painting as she draped herself over the counter.

“Well, you never sleep well after an akuma attack, Mille Jitters. I can’t say I’m totally surprised.” Alya snorted into her mug. Marinette’s years-long habit of disappearing in a stammering, stuttering mess in the chaos following an akuma attack was well known to everyone. When she wasn’t telling everyone how to evacuate safely like she ruled the room, of course. The disparity of the opposing reactions always puzzled Alya, but she was usually too busy to pry. That and Marinette was surprisingly slippery when she wanted to be.

“So!” She set her mug down on the counter, clapping her hands to make sure she had Marinette’s attention. Sure enough, Marinette jolted upright at the sound, staring at her wide-eyed. “How about this, we do a home cooking night! Mom sent me a _really_ good recipe and I’m dying to try it. But only if you promise not to blow up the kitchen this time.”

“Alya, it was _once!_ And that was an accident because—”

“The pressure cooker had a faulty lid locking mechanism, I know.” Alya laughed, and that got Marinette giggling with her, which made it worth the teasing. “Now drink your tea before it gets cold, I’m not going to listen to you whine about having to pour it down the sink.” With that, Alya hummed a cheerful tune, one of Nino’s most recent mixes that he’d sent her to critique. It was super catchy, and brought a smile to her face as she started rummaging in their fridge to make sure they had everything they needed. Goodness knew that if they went out shopping now it would turn into an all-day affair. They hadn’t had a girl’s day out in far too long as it was, and with Marinette as frazzled as she looked, she’d be flightier than normal.

Then again, maybe what Marinette needed was a little distraction. At that thought, a foxish smile spread across Alya’s face, and she could almost _hear_ Trixx’s chuckle from somewhere near her ear, buried in the depths of her thick hair.

Alya had a _plan_ , and she was going to enlist some help.

* * *

“Alya, if you keep stopping to take pictures it’s going to burn.” Marinette grinned, snorting noisily as a dismissive hand was flapped regally in her direction.

“Shhhh, art _this_ delicious must be shared!” With a smirk and a final tap, Alya waggled her eyebrows at Marinette and tucked her phone into her back pocket. Marinette simply shook her head, her gaze rolling skyward.

“You know that if you post it, we’re just going to end up with Nino coming over insisting he doesn’t have anything good in the fridge.”

“And what makes you think that wasn’t my intention in the first place?” Alya peered at her over the top of her glasses, bumping her out of the way with her hip as she reclaimed the spoon. “My ulterior motives are top secret!”

“And may involve me getting kicked out of the apartment for the evening?” Marinette asked, her tone dry and expression unimpressed. Alya simply gasped, clasping a hand over her heart.

“Why Marinette Dupain-Cheng! The slander! You wound me, girl. My heart _bleeds_.” Alya looked the perfect saint, prodding the pot that was starting to fill their small apartment with a mouth-watering scent of spices and grilling vegetables. The facade was ruined by the way she sniffed delicately and gave Marinette a sly smile. “Besides, a girl’s allowed a night in with her mate, don’t be jealous.”

“I am not jealous. You are absolutely ridiculous when you’re having your ‘lady funtime.’” Marinette made sure to step out of swatting range under the pretense of finding a drink in the fridge. “I don’t know _how_ he hasn’t gone deaf from your shriek _ING!_ ” A sharp snap across her backside had Marinette knocking the back of her head on the inside of the fridge, clapping a hand to her stinging butt as she glared at Alya with watery eyes. Alya looked smug, winding up their dish cloth for another snap and the seamstress scrambled to put the refrigerator door between them.

“I’ll have you know he happens to _like_ my ‘shrieking,’ thank you very much.” Alya huffed, though the sound of the doorbell had them both looking towards the door, their minor feud temporarily put to a truce. The dish cloth was put away, Alya siccing Marinette on door duty while she pulled her phone out to double-check the shrimp linguine recipe one more time. Sensing she was safe for now, Marinette blew a raspberry at her roomie before tugging at the waistband of her trousers and sweeping a loose hair behind her ear, her bobbed hair bound up in a messy knot, and trotted to the door. She immediately regretted that she’d chosen her worn-out, oversized Jagged Stone t-shirt that she’d worn holes in when she saw who was standing behind Nino.

“Hey! How’re our two favorite ladies?” Nino threw up his hands, holding a bottle in each hand. “I heard someone was cooking up some tasty grub, so we brought wine as a peace offering! Please don’t kick us out, babe.” 

He leaned around the doorframe to catch a glimpse of his partner. Alya’s laugh was loud and delighted, even as Marinette’s face flooded with color. Giving Nino a welcome hug and stepping aside to let him in, she gave Adrien a soft smile. He looked amazing as always, dark dyed jeans and a button down shirt with the cuffs rolled up, and she could _see_ his bicep flex when he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. He hadn’t even bothered to put product in his hair, or at least not much, and he gave her a warm smile as he glanced at her through his bangs, piercing her clean through the heart.

“Hey Adrien, how’re you?” At least she didn’t stutter this time, which was a relief. Between the years of classes together, Nino and Adrien deciding to room together for college, Marinette had slowly gotten over her tangled-tongue though she still had to bolster her nerves when she saw him. Especially when he looked so good, which was all the time. Even on his scruffy days when he didn’t bother shaving. Actually no, those days were even _worse_ because Adrien managed to make the fine golden scruff along his jawline look stunning and left her screaming into her pillows after he’d left again. At least she was keeping it mostly together, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands.

“I’m doing really well, thanks.” His smile was a little tired, but he opened his arms for a greeting hug and she was very proud of herself when she managed to be casual when she gave him what she _thought_ was a quick squeeze. He smelled delicious, faint traces of leather and his aftershave, something warm like sunshine in summer. Adrien had _fantastic_ hugs too, wrapping her in his arms and resting his cheek on the top of her head as he let out a pleased sort of humming noise. Really, she wanted to lean against him forever, pillow her head against his chest and listen to his heartbeat and—

Alya cleared her throat and the pair separated as if they’d been touched with a live wire.

“The apartment’s already been claimed for the evening, you two. Go find your own room to have a cuddle fest in.” Alya made a shooing motion at them, Nino coughing into his fist to hide his laugh while Marinette sputtered and flushed, yanking up the collar of her shirt to hide her face in. Which meant she missed the bright blush on Adrien’s face as he raked his fingers through his hair.

“Yeah, yeah. Very funny Nino.” Adrien shook his head, his palm brushing Marinette’s shoulder in an apologetic back rub as he slipped past her to go wash his hands in the bathroom so he could help prep the meal. Nino watched him go, then turned to the girls, a smirk on his face.

“Okay, I have the _whole day_ planned for the guy’s birthday bash this weekend. He has _no_ idea and!” Nino held up a finger, grinning so wide he could have split his face. “The dude’s got the whole day free and nothing goin’ on until the next afternoon. It’s gonna be off the hook!”

“That’s amazing, Nino! How’d you manage it?” Marinette grinned, bouncing in place while Alya clenched her fist in victory. Nino simply looked smug, reaching up to adjust his cap before rooting in the cabinets for the corkscrew and the wine glasses.

“Mad skills, M. Super mad skills.” He lifted an empty glass in a mock toast, winking at her and getting both young women laughing. Adrien wandered in, his head cocking as he looked from one to the next.

“Alright, what did I miss?” He looked vaguely suspicious, though his expression cleared when Alya waved him over and stepped aside to give him room near the pan, showing him how she was cooking down the sauce she was stirring.

“Nino grandstanding as always, don’t worry that cute head of yours, sunshine.” Alya grinned, tousling his hair which lead to a playful slap fight between them, ending in Alya’s victory when she brought out the dish towel again. Adrien rubbed his arm, making a face before meekly fetching the shrimp Alya needed.

Dinner was never a quiet affair between Alya and Marinette, and even less so when the boys were over. Laughter filled the apartment, noisy and excited energy as Nino and Adrien recounted something that had happened while they were out. When Marinette confessed to having gotten a handful of VIP tickets to the next Jagged Stone concert, it nearly had her tackled from across the table by at least two people. By the time they were full, there was hardly any linguine left, and both bottles of wine were empty. Alya and Nino had sprawled across the couch, or rather Nino sat in the corner while Alya’s head was in his lap and she sprawled to take over the rest, making shooing motions at Marinette and Adrien. In spite of Marinette’s exhausted groan of protest, Alya simply smirked.

“Go on, scoot! You two need to get out of the house more as it is. Consider this your chance, as I am a most generous and gracious of hosts.” Alya’s grin was growing increasingly more broad, and Marinette’s nose scrunched in protest as she slid off her chair to go grab her coat, purse, and keys.

“You’re the worst friend, Alya!” Her shout was only met with laughter.

“You’re not allowed back until tomorrow, I hope you know that! I demand that you go have fun.”

“Gee _thanks_ , mère.” Marinette scowled as she reappeared from the depths of her bedroom, shrugging her overnight bag higher on her shoulder. “And exactly where do you think I’ll be sleeping tonight?”

“Oh, the streets, like the starving artist that you are.” Alya’s teasing smile softened the words, and she gave Adrien a pointed glance. “ _Or_ , you could ask Prince Charming over there if he’s fine with aiding a damsel in distress.” Marinette had the distinct impression that Alya had fangs as she grinned, leaving Adrien and Marinette to sputter in embarrassment.

“Alya!” Marinette felt her ears burning, afraid to look at Adrien’s face as she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door to escape whatever else Alya was going to say to watch her turn into a tomato. “Ugh, you’re the _worst!_ ”

“You still love me! And my name’s on the lease so you can’t get rid of me anyway!” Alya called after them, though Marinette tugged the door shut behind them, cutting off Alya’s cackling.

“I am _so sorry_ about that, Adrien.” Marinette ran her hands over her face, only belatedly realizing she _still_ didn’t have any makeup on, so the bags under her eyes from her Ladybug all-nighter were still obvious. Ugh, her roundabout way of inviting the guys over and then kicking her out when she looked like a disaster while Adrien made his casual clothes look just… He always looked like he somehow escaped a runway, even with his hair tousled as he nervously raked his fingers through it and chuckled softly. His voice had dropped to a low, smooth tone in the last few years that did funny things to her stomach, his laughter a deep rumble that warmed her all over and left her biting her lip as she tried to tame her bangs.

“It’s fine, Nino’s been getting pretty unbearable without her. I don’t think I could take another day of his separation anxiety. You’d think they were on opposite sides of the continent instead of just down the hall from each other.” His grin brought out her own, and she covered her mouth to laugh, giving his side a playful slap.

“Oh my gosh, you’re kidding! She gets like that too, you should hear how grumpy she is when she hasn’t seen him in the last day. I’m just shocked they haven’t demanded that we permanently switch rooms so they can just live together already.” Her laughter colored her voice. Bonded pairs were notoriously needy when separated. An omega was dangerous when unbonded, possessive of the people they loved and willing to do _anything_ to keep them safe, while alphas were generally the grounded and more rational of the two. Yet when bonded and forced apart, the instabilities leaked out, omegas often slowly going mad with grief and need, their anxiety driving them to lash out at the people around them. Alphas grew more surly and snappish, bottling up their emotions until they cracked. For all that Marinette and Adrien joked about how moody their best friends got, separating the two for any length of time wasn’t a pretty sight.

“Well, I have to admit, I wouldn’t be too upset if they did.” Adrien smiled down at her and Marinette felt like the carpet was jerked out from under her feet, stumbling as her toe caught on her heel. Her heart did an alarming amount of acrobatics in her ribcage, and she struggled to recover, though Adrien laid a steadying hand on her elbow. “Careful! Wouldn’t want you to wipe out before we get a chance to have another rematch of Mecha Strike!” His lopsided smile was going to put her in an early grave if the warmth she felt bleeding through his shirt when he draped an arm casually across her shoulders didn’t. Oh gosh, he smelled _amazing_ , it wasn’t fair!

“More like don’t want me to break my nose before I can kick your butt again? Come on now, Agreste. You still can’t keep up with these hands.” She wriggled her fingers, giving him a skeptical glance that he met with a playful scowl. Already the competitive spark blazed in his eyes, and he scoffed quietly.

“You wish! Today’s the day, Dupain-Cheng. I’ve been practicing.”

“Practicing for your complete and utter destruction? I can’t wait.” She grinned, a moment of silence stretching between them as they sized each other up before breaking into a run down the corridor as if on an unspoken cue. Marinette snatched the keys out of his hand, racing ahead of him as her lighter frame gave her the advantage on the turn in the hall, though she could hear Adrien closing in behind her, his long legs eating up the distance with every step. Hands ghosted across her sides, fingers finding the ticklish spots that made her shriek, dropping the keys into his waiting hand as he pushed past her with a bark of laughter.

“Jerk! I’ll get you for that!” She shouted after him, pushing herself as hard as she could as she tried to catch up before he had a chance to slam the door in her face.

“You’ll have to catch me first!” He tossed the keys into the air, catching them as he skidded to a stop before his shared apartment door, the Ladybug charm and golden bell jangling as he shouldered it open, but not before Marinette tackled him from behind.

“Ha!” The only thing that stopped her from flinging her bag through the doorway to claim her place as first into the apartment was knowing Tikki was inside, so instead she slipped under the arm he threw out to block her, nearly shedding her shirt in the process. Yanking it back over her head, she whipped around and nearly jabbed him in the nose when she flung out an arm to stab a finger at him. “In your face, Agreste!”

“Ugh, how are you so fast when you eat so much junk food and sit around all day?” He sounded breathless, his head bowed as he shook it in disbelief. They were both breathing heavily and laughing, though Adrien had gotten more than he bargained for when Marinette had squeezed past him. The brief glimpse of her sports bra and the alarmingly toned muscles hidden underneath her baggy shirt that now was hanging off one of her slim shoulders had done something funny to his heart (he wasn’t stupid, he just wasn’t used to feeling like _that_ about anyone other than his lady), his pulse thundering loud in his ears as he tried to distract himself from her sweet scent. Why was it that even after she moved out of her parents’ place she _still_ smelled like the bakery?

“A lady has her secrets!” She sniffed, doing a quick toss of her head that would have easily flipped her hair over her shoulder if it had been down. Instead, a long loop of hair slipped from her bun, brushing across her flushed cheek and draping tantalizingly over her shoulder. Pushing himself upright, he tucked it behind her ear before he realized what he was doing, his fingertips trailing over the curve of her ear and down her neck before he caught himself, playing it off by squeezing her shoulder.

“Fine, be that way. I’ll go grab the drinks and the snacks while you go start up the game.” And then he disappeared into the kitchen, not realizing the devastation he left in his wake with the simple gesture. Marinette stared after him, her face almost going nuclear meltdown levels of hot as she pulled the collar of her shirt up to scream silently into it and staggered towards the living room.

By the end of the night they’d gone through three different games, two movies, a small wheel of brie, a bag full of freshly sliced raw veggies, a bowl of hummus, and every playful insult they both knew. Adrien was slumped back against the pillows and groaning into his hands while Marinette’s legs were draped across his lap. The woman chuckled to herself, looking as fiendishly delighted as Plagg after he’d been gifted a particularly disgusting slab of cheese.

“Oh, you’re fine, Adrien. You got two wins in on me this time! It’s an improvement.” Her giggling was rewarded with an even louder groan, and she laughed, hiding behind her controller.

“Your lucky charm is a _lie!_ ” He pouted, looking so much like he was fourteen again that she couldn’t stop her snort.

“Well of course it doesn't work on me, silly. I made it!” She stuck out her tongue and he wrinkled his nose at her, threatening to tickle her behind the knees. “Don’t you dare!”

“Stop being a cheater and a sore winner!”

“You’re just being a big bab— _eeeee!_ ” She shrieked, kicking as his fingers caught her under the knees and _pulled_ , trying to squirm away even as he tickled her until she was breathless and crying from laughter. “Stop! Stop, you big menace! Help! Call Ladybug and Chat Noir, I’m being harassed!”

“I am pretty sure even they’d say you were the one being the bully first, Marinette.” He snorted, caught between trying to grab her hands and keep her legs pinned so he didn’t take a knee to the ribs or get whacked. He’d learned over the years that Marinette had a surprisingly strong punch when she wanted to, and they were both still more than a little tipsy since he’d made the mistake of bringing out another bottle of wine while they played. In the end he had one arm wrapped around her knees while the other fended off her hands until he gave up and simply dropped onto her like an oversized sack of potatoes.

“Ugh! When did you get so heavy?” Marinette wheezed, trying with very little success to push him off now that he’d turned half his bulk into dead weight on her chest.

“Beauty comes with a price.” He used his most tragic voice, pressing the back of his hand to his brow. “And that price was being made of solid muscle.”

“More like solid meathead!” She grumbled, but the fight went out of her when he arched an eyebrow and she remembered this was _Adrien_ and _most definitely not Chat Noir_ she was heckling.

“Maybe, but at least I’m the prettiest meathead.” He smirked, his nose suddenly a finger’s width away from her own, and she got an extraordinarily close look at his sun-kissed cheeks and how green his eyes really were when his hair slid into his face, blocking half her view. Still, his smile only grew more lopsided, the heat rising in her face as she was almost overwhelmed by how warm and heavy he was, the scent of his cologne leaving her lightheaded in the best way.

“Well, I guess you do have that going for you.” She tried to play it casual, keep her tone lighthearted and teasing, but he seemed to be leaning closer and her words trailed off at the end, her breath caught somewhere behind her ribs as she let her eyes fall shut, afraid to hope and yet wishing with all her heart. For a moment she could have sworn his hair tickled her nose, their breath mingling as she could almost feel the brush of his lips as he hovered over her… Then he was gone, sitting up and pushing his hair out of his eyes as she was left with her heart pounding in her throat and feeling like the universe had committed the deepest betrayal. Every part of her tingled from how close he’d been and she wanted to scream in frustration from the loss.

“It’s getting late, want me to get out the blankets for you?” He sounded so casual, as if he hadn’t seemed like he’d been moments away from kissing her. How did he act so calm about it? All she could do was nod dumbly for a moment, afraid to trust her own voice.

“Y-yeah, sure, that sounds good. Great! It’s fine!” Clearing her throat, she managed not to pluck at her clothes or fan her face. “That sounds good, it was a long day.” He seemed to relax at her hasty smile, though it didn’t stop her from kicking her heels against the couch cushions or stifling a scream with the throw pillow the instant he was out of the room. Instead she busied herself with cleaning up the coffee table, giving herself something to do other than focus on the way she still felt too hot all over from being pinned under him and how she couldn’t get the warmth of his breath puffing across her skin out of her head. Or how her thoughts strayed to the idea of him holding her down and ravaging her and her showing up the next day covered in marks and—and she came a split-second away from letting a wine glass tumble out of her hands onto the unforgiving tile floor of the kitchen while she was barefoot. She recovered at the last second, shaking her head to clear it, but the delicious prickling sensation that crept down her spine seemed loathe to leave.

“Stupid, handsome, sexy…just… _ugh!_ ” Needing to burn off the restless energy, she turned it into something constructive, scrubbing their dishes a little harder than was necessary as she finished cleaning up, setting them out to dry and towelling her hands off.

* * *

By the time she was finished attacking the dishware, Adrien was watching her wide-eyed in surprise from the opposite end of the kitchen nook.

“You didn’t have to clean all the dishes, Marinette! I was going to get those.” But he backed off when she waved her hand at him.

“It’s fine, Adrien. Besides, I kinda just got foisted off on you for the night, it’s the least I can do for stealing your couch for the evening.” At least she got him to smile, lifting the bundle of bedding in his arms a little higher.

“Well, then I’ll keep my protests to myself. You going to be okay with just this?” He made the happy little humming sound again when she nodded, his pleased puppy face making a swift return.

“I’ll just go grab my stuff then. Thanks again, Adrien.” She smiled, stooping to pick up her bag and not noticing the way he fumbled his armful of blankets and pillows. Or the way his gaze followed her as she stepped past him to the bathroom, drinking in the sight of her shapely legs and the way her shirt had slipped farther down one shoulder to reveal more freckles and a bra strap. Catching himself as he began to zone out, Adrien shook his head, mentally scolding himself for staring as he went to lay out her blankets. By the time she’d finished prepping for bed, he was polishing off a glass of water, only to almost choke when he saw her pajamas. Black lounge pants with neon green paw prints and a matching shirt that looked big enough to fit him. Combined with the fact that her hair was down and the way she was yawning into her hand, it sent a funny sort of jolt through him that made him want to scoop her up and nip at her. Or see what her outfit looked like on his floor. Heat pooled south of his belt as he shifted to look less alarmed at his intrusive thoughts and more casual, hoping she’d chalk his flushed face up to the fact that he had indulged in so much wine. It didn’t help that she came around the kitchen nook to give him a quick hug, the warmth of her palm sending the most wonderful sort of tingles down his spine that made him want to squirm and lay in her lap.

“Goodnight, Adrien.” She smiled, pulling away to go curl up in the blankets on the couch.

“Goodnight, Marinette. Sweet dreams.” He managed a proper smile instead of a nervous wince, moving to flick off the lights, but not before he caught sight of the surprised look on her face before it transformed into the most blinding smile he’d ever seen on her.

“You too.”

With that, he flicked off the lights and fled, feeling the heat crawling up his flesh from the inside. Why on earth was he suddenly wanting to build a blanket fort and cuddle with _Marinette?_ He couldn’t even ask Plagg, and as he lay staring up at the ceiling, he found even less answers, only more questions, and a horrible ache that built in his joints as his skin began to grow hot with fever. It was going to be a very, _very_ long night.


	3. Pretty as a Picture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Adrien thinks he's got his act together, it seems the entire universe is out to test him. Will he be able to power through these new impulsive urges, or will the compulsions cause him to crash and burn in front of his closest friends, leaving them with altogether too much blackmail material?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE SKY IS AWAKE SO I'M AWAKE! Once again it's ZiriO bringing you yet another heaping dose of Lovesquare shenanigans. No, the seven rings have not in fact frozen over, but I would like to give a huge shoutout to the ever lovely MiniMinou, HariWrites, and LaterDays who are amazing and wonderful and lovingly stabbed at me with red pens until I got this chapter to behave itself. This early(ish???) update is brought to you by the fact that I got some amazing commissions finished so here I am indulging my need to show this to people before I pop like an overfull balloon filled with glitter.
> 
> So without further ado, please sit back and enjoy! Will Adrien figure out why Marinette is suddenly pinging his radar so hard? Will Marinette spontaneously combust? Will anyone catch the easter eggs I've tucked into these next few chapters? Tune in next time to find out~! ♥

The next morning Marinette awoke to the smell of freshly brewed tea and a hand tousling her hair until she tried to squirm away from it. She was too warm and comfortable to want to be doing anything other than lazily soaking up the warmth of her bundle of blankets. Dragging the blankets over her head and sleepily swatting at it, she buried her face deeper into the invitingly soft pillows that smelled too nice to leave.

“Alya stop, five more minutes.” She’d been having a great dream involving quite a bit of cuddling and she wanted to get back to it before she had to get ready for class. Especially since it had been Adrien she’d been cuddling, and he’d just been ready to nose her hair aside and leave a trail of kisses down her neck, leaving her sighing happily at the thought.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Sleeping Beauty, but Alya’s not here. You’ll just have to deal with me instead.” The quiet chuckle that followed had her eyes snapping open in an instant, and sure enough, it was Adrien grinning down at her, already freshly showered and dressed for the day with his long hair tied back in an elaborate knot at the back of his head while his bangs swept across his forehead to frame the side of his face. The noise she made was anything but coherent, hiding her blush behind the edge of the blanket that most definitely did _not_ smell like her roommate, though she only had a moment’s notice before he grabbed the edge of the blanket and _yanked_. Her shriek was loud enough to almost wake the dead, and he easily dodged the throw pillow she tossed at his smug face.

“You’ve got just enough time to get ready and eat something, Marinette. Come on.” He held out a hand, and if he’d noticed she’d managed to kick her pajama pants off in the middle of the night, he said nothing about it. With a grumble and an exaggerated pout, she took his hand and tried to hide her flush in her haste to grab her bag and dash for the bathroom. Before they’d all moved into the apartments Adrien had been hesitant to wake her until Alya had pointed out that Marinette would, if allowed, sleep through the Eiffel Tower’s collapse or half the city getting destroyed. So over the past few months he’d been regularly encouraged to use extreme measures if necessary to get her out of bed. Up to, and including, dumping half an ice tray on her, though no one enjoyed that because it meant far too much screaming and dealing with wet bedding so early in the day.

“ _Shoot!_ Adrien?” Marinette’s head popped out of the bathroom, hanging onto the door frame for balance as she leaned into the hallway. “Could I borrow some shampoo? Mine isn’t in my bag and I could’ve sworn I packed it!” In fact, she’d been _pretty sure_ she’d taken to leaving quite a few necessities in her overnight bag specifically just for days when she got locked out of the apartment, and had a sneaking suspicion that Alya was the reason it was missing.

“Of course, the one on the left.” If he was laughing at her supposed forgetfulness, she was pointedly choosing to ignore it, disappearing again with a wave and a hasty thanks. Now all she had to do was try not to feel too giddy about the fact that she was going to spend the rest of the day smelling like Adrien.

* * *

Adrien, on the other hand, was finding a completely different problem on his hands. Running a hand over his face, he leaned back against the kitchen counter, trying not to think too hard about how he’d caught a faint glimpse of Marinette’s boy shorts when he’d yanked the blanket off her and again when she’d grabbed her bag. Her thighs alone would have left him in a cold sweat but the fact that she wore _Chat panties_ to match her pajamas was making it hard to focus.

“Better get it together kid, she’s going to be out of the bathroom sooner or later. Unless you don’t _mind_ her knowing you were getting an eyeful when she walked down the hall of course.” His kwami was looking unbearably smug today, and Adrien hissed, baring his fangs as he growled low in his throat.

“Shut up, Plagg! I don’t need you reminding me!” He rubbed his forehead, grabbing another glass of ice water to gulp down before Marinette made it back.

“I dunno, I think she might like it if you told her what you think about those pjs of hers.” Plagg’s smirk only grew wider as Adrien choked, cursing under his breath as he had to snatch up a towel to wipe up the mess he’d made on the floor.

“Plagg, just _shut up_ , or I’m locking you in the cookie jar.” He grumbled, knowing full well that there was very few punishments that would actually stick to the kwami, though the bigger dilemma on hand was the feverish heat he could feel trying to crawl up his spine. He had class all day, he couldn’t deal with this right now! Even if Marinette was in his shower right now using _his_ soap and she’d smell like him all day after she’d spent the whole night wearing _Chat Noir panties_ and…

He needed a moment. Or five.

“ _Plagg_.” His words were growled, his jaw tense, sweat beading on his forehead as he lurched to his feet. “Don’t you dare cause trouble, I’ll be back.” He barely made it to his room or remembered to shut his own door before he was fighting with his own clothes.

Thankfully by the time Marinette stepped out of the bathroom smelling like she’d spent the night in his bed—did it count if they’d been his blankets and she’d washed up with his things? No, no it didn’t and he shoved that thought back into the corner it had come from before he needed to excuse himself again—he had himself mostly under control. Adrien still felt a little too tense, a little too jittery, fingers rapping impatiently on the countertop as he tried to find a comfortable position to stand in. The outfit that had been perfectly comfortable that morning now felt all wrong, too stifling, and he’d had to pop a few extra buttons in spite of it being January and he knew he’d freeze as soon as he was outside. Still, he managed a smile as he watched Marinette curl up on one of their barstools and cradle her teacup as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

“Feeling better?” He grinned, cocking his head to watch her as she almost purred when she sipped her tea, a damp lock of hair stubbornly resisting when she pushed it back from her face.

“A lot better, thanks again Adrien.” Plucking up a slice of toast, she glanced at her phone before almost coughing around the bite in her mouth. Before she could even begin to panic, Adrien waved her impending anxiety fit off with a grin.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll get us there today, but you’ll want to grab your stuff. I’d hate to have to explain to Alya why they had to carry you out of our apartment on a stretcher if you choked.” He pushed off the counter, and tried to ignore how sweet she smelled beneath the familiar scents of his shampoo. The urge to lean down and bury his face in her hair was alarmingly strong, and he didn’t even want to think of how badly he felt like he needed to run his tongue along the edge of her blouse collar. How was he going to be able to make it through the day if he kept wanting to see if she tasted as good as she smelled? This stupid heat thing couldn’t be over fast enough.

* * *

“If I’d be anyone, it would have to be Rapunzel. Have you seen how stunning my hair is?” His suave Chat-like grin was met with an exaggerated eye-roll, and Marinette shook her head.

“It’s not nearly long enough, Adrien. That doesn’t count.” Her reply was so deadpan that Adrien immediately began to pout, already trying to form a perfectly reasonable counter-argument.

Alya wasn’t entirely surprised to see the pair already seated and ready for class, Adrien was punctual almost to a fault, though she was a little baffled by their chosen subject matter of their pre-class debate. Lips quirking in bemusement, she took up her seat on Marinette’s other side, with Nino sprawling next to her, his headphones dangling around his neck.

“Do I even want to know what you two are talking about?” Alya couldn’t keep the chuckle out of her voice as the pair turned to watch her. For once, Adrien was the one looking overly perky while Marinette frowned thoughtfully.

“Princesses. I say Marinette’s Sleeping Beauty because she sleeps like the dead, but we’re still disagreeing over who I’d be.” He beamed, as if the logic was perfectly reasonable.

“More like the princess and the pea, have you seen how hard she struggles to go to bed?” Alya gave Marinette’s side a jab with an elbow, earning her a glare and a shove. Adrien thought it over for a moment, shaking his head.

“No, that wouldn’t work, she’s not a light sleeper. It took me four tries to wake her up this morning.” He tapped his chin with his finger, the light catching on his silver ring.

“ _Four?_ ” Marinette looked horrified, though Adrien just shrugged, leaning back in his seat while Alya hummed thoughtfully. While Alya thought, Adrien found his attention drawn to the fact that Marinette had simply thrown her hair up in a quick knot to get it out of the way, likely because she hadn’t been able to pack most of her hair care items, and her face was just as bare, meaning the bags under her eyes that had been obvious the day before were now faint shadows, but still easy to see. A sudden thought struck him, and soon he was rummaging in his bag and Marinette’s, carefully setting out everything he needed.

“Donkeyskin.” Alya said with a smirk and a look of superiority, causing Marinette and Nino to sputter while Adrien pulled a face, faking offense.

“ _Donkeyskin?_ Seriously, Alya?” Looking as unimpressed as he sounded, Adrien carefully untied Marinette’s hair so he could brush it out, while the girl just gaped at her best friend. Her hair was sleek and thick, and it fell heavily through his fingers. The texture was so nice he hardly noticed the way Marinette seemed to relax the more he brushed, shifting subtly at his nudging without even realizing she was leaning towards him. Alya only grew more smug as she watched them.

“Well you’re far too pretty to be consorting with us common folk otherwise, so I figure there’s got to be some sort of magic involved. Wouldn’t you say, Nino?” She nudged her glasses a little higher as she glanced at her mate, who simply shrugged and slouched a little more in his seat.

“I dunno babe, if his père had a donkey that shat gold I think I’d have heard about it by now.”

“ _Nino!_ ” Marinette sounded scandalized at the use of language, and the group broke out in stifled chuckling.

“What? I’m just saying! Adrien tells me all sorts of dirty secrets, it’s part of the bro code.” Pulling out his laptop, Nino got to work on some last minute touch-ups on his latest cinematography project, leaving Marinette and Adrien to fend off Alya on their own.

“Well, he’s not wrong exactly.” Adrien admitted, putting the finishing touches on taming Marinette’s hair into a delicate twisted updo. She’d been complaining for weeks that it was getting too long, falling heavily over her shoulders and she threatened to chop it all off every time someone mentioned it. As much as he knew he’d miss the sight of her long hair, the thought of it cropped into the high pixie cut she’d been fawning over made his cheeks go hot. There was something about the way he knew it would frame her face perfectly, showing off the soft shape of her face and the pale column of her neck. Her bare, unmarked throat that was as lightly dusted with freckles as her cheeks, and he wanted to lean in and press his lips just behind her ear and run his tongue across her earlobe to taste her…

Clearing his throat to chase away the intrusive thoughts, Adrien looked up from tucking her hairbrush back into her bag to see her watching him with wide, impossibly blue eyes. It was almost as alarming as being pinned in place by one of Ladybug’s glares. Somehow he managed to give her a natural-seeming smile rather than a nervous twitch.

“Close your eyes for a second?” He cocked his head, turning up the charm in his smile the longer she frowned in confusion at him.

“Okay…?” She sounded puzzled, but let him take her by the chin, and he set to touching up her face. Marinette’s skin was smooth and clear, and her freckles were too pretty to want to hide, but he dabbed on concealer to hide her dark bags and the bruise from where she’d knocked her face on the door frame the other night when the four of them had come back from the movies and she’d tripped coming in the door. A faint touch of shimmer to highlight her soft pout and eyes, and by the time he’d finished the touches to her eyeliner and mascara, their Mandarin language professor walked in the door.

“All set.” Adrien grinned, zipping up both of their makeup pouches and tucking them away as he leaned back in his seat, feeling a bloom of pride warming him from the inside at the soft smile on Marinette’s face. She had ducked her chin as she turned back to the front of the class, but her previous frowns were nowhere to be seen, and the happy glow on her face lasted the rest of their class.

In spite of Marinette sitting next to him looking and smelling good enough to eat, Adrien found it much easier to focus for the rest of class. She was practically preening next to him, and the happy little humming noises she made were soothing enough that it calmed the crawling, prickling sensation along his skin that had bothered him most of the morning. True, he was far more advanced than the rest of the class, yet he didn’t mind, as the refresher work helped strengthen his core knowledge of the language and it meant he knew exactly where Marinette and Alya might get tangled up. Marinette was taking the course to be able to better understand her heritage and talk with her mother’s side of the family, and Alya was working with international fans to help translate the Ladyblog. Overall, Alya was getting a fairly solid foundation in the language, while Marinette still stumbled over the various alternate pronunciations and meanings of different characters. As for Nino, he didn’t need a language course, already being fluent in three, he simply sat with them for ‘moral support’ as he put it, while using the time to work on his own projects for other classes. At least the girls paid Adrien well for his tutoring sessions, as he usually found he was being bribed with pastries from the Dupain-Cheng bakery when the girls got stuck.

With the class wrapping up for the day, he didn’t feel half as guilty about letting his mind wander to the patisserie and the freckled girl next to him. Actually, now that Adrien really thought about it, he wouldn’t mind a few of Tom and Sabine’s pastries for lunch. The thought of food almost had him purring, wetting his lips as he slipped his tablet into his bag now that the class was over. Slinging it over his shoulder, he gathered up a few of his notes to go talk with the professor about potentially missing future classes when he felt an uncomfortable prickling sensation across the nape of his neck. An almost cloying scent of cloves and ash caked his throat, hot molasses with sharp notes of cinnamon and the fumes of motor oil. He wanted to snort to clear the cumin and nutmeg from his sinuses, but as he turned, he realized it wouldn’t help. His palms began to sweat as he tightened his grip on his bag, instinctively straightening to his full height and relaxing his shoulders, making his expression as neutral and polite as possible to avoid a confrontation.

The student on the step above him was shorter but twice as broad as he was, his dark skin heavily smudged with smokey makeup and piercings glinted on his eyebrows. His magenta hair was brighter than even Jagged Stone’s favorite shade of purple, and from the clothes the other man wore he was obviously a fan of the aesthetic if not the singer himself. He also looked _far_ more interested in Adrien than was comfortable, if the way he’d felt his gaze crawling up his back before he’d turned to face him had been more than Adrien’s imagination. The urge to hiss and bare his fangs was almost palpable.

“M. Agreste?” Surprisingly polite, he pressed a hand to his heart and bowed his head, keeping his gaze locked with the model’s. The heavy accents of both Italian and Spanish gave his speech a melodic cadence, though Adrien bristled at the overly sweet tone. “I was wondering if you would do me the honor of gracing me with your time this evening? I heard there was a new cafe opening near campus.”

“That’s really quite flattering, but I’m afraid I have to say no, I’d already made plans this evening. I really am sorry.” His model smile was far too easy to paste on, still feeling his skin bristle at the way the other man seemed to shift his weight, his gaze hooded as he breathed deep. The realization that he was scenting Adrien made him want to deck him right in his overpainted face. The guy hadn’t even been anything other than polite, but no one was allowed to scent him like that other than his lady! He knew the moment that thought went through his mind that he was being irrational, but he could hear his bag creaking in protest as his hand clenched around the strap. He wanted his lady, he wanted to be on top of the Eiffel Tower draped across her shoulders with her hand in his hair not standing here in the middle of class with some stranger looking at him like he wanted to rail him out in the alley behind the nearest club.

“Maybe some other time, then? This weekend, perhaps?” There was almost a wistful sort of hopefulness to his voice, but Adrien hardly noticed. The way the other man spoke, the words felt like a physical touch, and Adrien had to fight the urge to crawl out of his own skin.

“He said **no thank you**.” The words startled the remaining class into silence, relief flooding through Adrien’s limbs as a different kind of heat pooled in the pit of his stomach, and the most blessedly comforting sight warmed him to his toes when he glanced over his shoulder to see Marinette rising out of her seat like she meant to vault the desk to get to them. A fierce glare blazed in her eyes, a tense silence passing between her and the stranger before he let out a soft sigh as his shoulders slumped, looking almost embarrassed as he slowly raised his hands in concession.

“My mistake, I did not realize he’d already been bonded to a lovely mademoiselle such as you.” It was only after Marinette had glared at him until he’d walked out the door that the meaning of his words sank in through her fury haze.

“But—we’re not!” Her face turned ten shades of pink as she screeched into her hands, while Alya simply clapped her on the back.

“Didn’t look that way to the rest of us, girl. I think you made a few fans, though.” As if to make a point, she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder to where a few other classmates were watching Marinette with stunned expressions, and at least two omegas were blushing furiously.

“Ugh, just what I needed…” Embarrassed, Marinette scooped her things into her bag, trying to hurry before she made an even bigger idiot out of herself for going all haywire over something so small as someone asking Adrien out on a coffee date. Still, Adrien had looked so tense, and the whole thing had just rankled her something awful, and her brain was spinning in circles when she found herself having the air crushed out of her from behind. Adrien’s happy rumbling sound filling her ears as he squeezed her and lifted her off her feet.

“Thank you, Marinette.” The way his lips brushed her skin almost had her fainting, a nervous laugh spilling out of her.

“Y-yeah! No problem.” Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she squirmed, wanting to enjoy his hug forever just not in front of so many people. Also there was something in Alya’s gaze that made her a little nervous.

“By the way, when exactly were you going to tell us that you were secretly an alpha?” The words cut through the warm haze of being wrapped in Adrien’s arms and his comforting scent, and Marinette almost wheezed with anxious laughter.

“Um? I didn’t, I mean, I wasn’t—!” The way Adrien seemed to be doing that strange rumbling hum of his against her back hardly helped her think clearly, it was successfully turning her limbs and joints to jelly, and that wasn’t counting the way he was trying to bury his face against her throat. “I didn’t think I was! Adrien come on, we’ve got another class to get to.” His hands were creeping up her sides in a way that was making it even harder to think than the hot press of his chest against her back, and she managed to slip out of his grip and tug him towards the professor’s desk in the front of the class to put as much distance between herself and Alya’s unnervingly pointed questions as possible.

“Don’t think running away will save you from answering my questions, young lady!” Alya was hot on their heels, and they had almost made it out the door before Adrien nearly caused a pileup by remembering _why_ he’d been pulling away from Marinette’s side in the first place. Which caused a confusing jumble of limbs as he had to wade between Marinette, Alya, Nino, and a few hapless bystanders to slap his request form on the desk. Their Chinese professor was watching them as if waiting to see whether or not they’d planned on having any _other_ scuffles or if it was safe to take a sip from her travel mug.

“Professor, I was hoping to see if I might be able to do the next week’s worth of assignments from home.” He felt a faint flush of embarrassment creeping up his face, though the professor simply lifted the form to glance over it and nodded, no questions asked.

“Of course, M. Agreste, do remember to message me a copy of this as well. Your grades are exceptional, and we will miss you in class, but I understand. We’ll see you again when you’re feeling able to focus on your studies again. Stay out of trouble.” She said, giving his friends a pointed look over his shoulder before tucking his form into her clear file on her desk before waving him out the door. Nino waited until they’d stepped outside the class to shoot Adrien a curious glance.

“You’re planning to do stuff from home? What’s up, you feeling okay?” Slinging an arm around Adrien’s shoulders, he pulled him into a loose hug before something about Adrien’s embarrassed expression had Nino’s eyebrows climbing towards his hairline. “Oh my god, did it finally happen?”

“Nino….” Adrien looked pained, though Nino was looking more and more excited by the moment.

“My dude! No wonder why you were grooming Marinette earlier.” He clapped a hand across Adrien’s back, while Adrien tried to shush him. “I’m so proud of you! If you need any help at all, you know I’ve got your back, man.” Wiping a fake tear from his eye, he was no sooner to letting Adrien escape his grip, much to the blonde’s distress.

“Nino, as much as I appreciate the thought, it’s _not_ really something you can help me with, you know?” The attempt to get his best mate to drop the subject was valiant, but Nino could hardly pass up an opportunity to heckle Adrien as payback for the teasing he’d gotten in collège for his poor attempts at wooing Alya when _his_ first heat had struck. Something that Adrien seemed to sense was coming, and was feeling the weight of his regret with every failed attempt to silence his best friend before he outed Adrien’s secret to the world. Or at least in front of the girls, and he wasn’t certain which was more mortifying in retrospect.

“I know man, but I should think out of anyone you know, I’m the _best_ when it comes to setting up a proper mood when building a mating nest.” Nino’s glasses caught the light, and he ruffled Adrien’s hair before releasing him to straighten his cap. “So if you need any deets on what to do durin’ your heat, I’m your dude.”

“His _what?_ ” The dual voices rang in the hall, though with very distinct reactions. Alya whipped around with a predatory grin while Marinette’s voice jumped two octaves, her grip on her bag slipping so her attempts to stuff her tablet into it ended with her bag’s shoulder strap giving way and her bag’s contents spilling halfway down the hall in an explosion of papers. If Adrien hadn’t known this was his own fault in the first place, he would have wanted to murder Nino for it. The thought was still incredibly tempting, but the urge to try and escape before Alya could pounce was stronger.

Even if it was unsuccessful in the end.


	4. Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Adrien finally presenting as an omega, the squad volunteers Marinette as his caretaker, even if she's quite certain she was thrust into helping her friend starting his heat. Embarrassment nestles in with a cozy blanket, but can these two ~*~very good friends~*~ evict it while they maneuver around Adrien's new instincts? Or will Marinette spontaneously combust before they make it through the thick of things?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, starshines~! Once again it is ZiriO coming to you with a brand new dose of hijinks and shenanigans! I have been SO EXCITED to post this, y'all have no idea. A great big shout out to the fantastic, the fabulous, the marvelous MiniMinou, HariWrites, and LaterDays! Who like to take my chapters out back and whip them into shape so they look nice when I finally get around to posting them. They're wonderful and I love them all so much. Be sure to give them lots of love for all their hard work, as they're amazing people!
> 
> So as always please enjoy! What will Marinette do now that Adrien's showing signs of being an omega? What happens now that she knows she's not a beta at all like she first thought? What sort of nefarious schemes is Alya up to this time now that she knows her friends are both presenting? Hang on to your britches and stay tuned until next time to find out!

“So this does mean the party’s off this weekend though.” Nino rubbed his chin, his lips pursing as they crowded around one of the coveted charging stations in the student lobby. Adrien stopped mid-bite, looking up with mild alarm.

“Party? What party? I didn’t hear anything about a party.” Before he could pester them for more information, Alya planted a finger on his lips and gently pushed until he sat back in his seat, looking frustrated and flustered in equal measures.

“Shhhhh, sunshine. Adults are talking.” She motioned at him to keep eating in spite of his sulking, while Marinette flinched away as Alya’s flapping hand turned to a swat to knock her thumb out of her mouth before she could bite the nail down to the quick. “Stop that! Now, we do have a bit of a problem. Once things really get going, we’ll need someone to be around to keep an eye on him, obviously. Nino shouldn’t, or he’ll go into a sympathy heat and then we’ll have _twice_ the trouble on our hands. I’m busy with work and classes and won’t be home enough to keep track of him, which means…” She and Nino both looked to Marinette, whose eyes went as wide as saucers, her latte forgotten.

“I’m sorry?” Her voice cracked in a squeak, suddenly wishing she could crawl into a hole and escape the entire conversation because she knew where it was going.

“Marinette, as a newly-discovered alpha and someone we all know to have our beloved sunshine boy’s best interests at heart, we’ve decided to leave him in your care until his heat’s passed. No, no, don’t thank me, I’m sure you’ll do great.” Alya patted her dumbstruck bestie’s shoulder, then leaned close to stage-whisper to her. “Which means you’ll probably need to email your professors and tell them you won’t be in, since you’ll be on omega watch.”

“Wh—wait, I don’t know what to do, I don’t have any omegas in my immediate family! What if something goes wrong?” Panic set in as she hissed at Alya, casting nervous glances to Nino and Adrien. Alya simply smiled, giving Marinette’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“You’ll do just _fine_ , M. It’s not as hard as movies and books make it out to be, just make sure he gets enough food and rest, and he’ll generally be able to take care of himself. Plus, it does have some pretty fun bonuses if he likes you enough!” Alya gave her a saucy wink, and Marinette nearly screamed.

“Alya! _Oh my God!_ ” Marinette slapped Alya’s shoulder before she even considered what it would look like to Nino and Adrien. Grabbing her friend’s shoulder, she glared so hard she could have blistered paint, keeping her voice low enough that they wouldn’t be overheard. Or at least she hoped not. “That’s horrible! You can’t just _say that!_ Last I heard there was someone else he liked more! I’m pretty sure that hasn’t changed!”

“Girl, anyone with working eyes would have seen the way he’s been acting like he’s ready to eat you alive the past two days! Get it together, this might be your chance. Trust me, an omega who isn’t with the person they want to be with will throw off anyone they don’t want touching them. They get prickly even with people they know and _like_. If he’s as into you as he’s been acting, this’ll be the perfect turning point for you two, _trust_ me.” Alya sat back, tossing a thick curl of hair over her shoulder. “Now! When we get home, I’m packing my bags because I am so not hanging around to see how sappy you two get when he’s nesting.”

“ _Alya!_ ” Marinette clapped her hands to her face as she let out an embarrassed, muffled scream, completely missing the way Adrien’s face flushed a bright red at the mention of nesting. Mostly at the idea of nesting in the same room as _Marinette_. Which of course got his brain churning and next thing he knew his face was burning and he’d completely forgotten he was in the middle of eating as he hid his face in his hand, Nino trying his best not to laugh as he rubbed Adrien’s back.

“Hang in there dude, it’s just a week. What could go wrong, right?”

* * *

A lot could go wrong in a week, Adrien was discovering. His expression soured even more as some tall, long-haired ginger bowed their head to talk to Marinette outside of one of her design classes, eyeing the slump-shouldered figure draped in carefully form-disguising clothes. They were at least as tall as he was but lean and willowy, plucking at the cuffs of their sleeves and brushing their hair out of their face as they smiled nervously at her.

“D-don’t worry, I’ll send you all the notes right away, y-you should be doing really well, s-since you’ve got your portfolio mostly done already.” They seemed as if they were considering resting their hand on Marinette’s shoulder, and Adrien felt his hackles rise almost instantly before he saw their hand twitch back, tucking their thumbs under the strap of their satchel.

“Thank you so much, you’re a lifesaver, I swear. I’ll make it up to you when I get back.” Breathing a sigh of relief, Marinette sagged before whipping out her phone to double check her contacts, and Adrien found himself lurching forward at the first signs of a happy blush spreading across her beanpole classmate’s face. There was something about the way they stood, hovering as if hoping for her approval, and everything about them rubbed him the wrong way. The heat from before flared hot, boiling under the surface as his hair stood on end and the growl was bubbling out of him. In two long strides he had practically scooped Marinette off her feet, clutching her tight to his chest as he bared his fangs, a deep part of him taking a twisted delight in the alarm on the other omega’s face as they flinched, ducking their chin to half-hide behind the high collar of their coat.

_She’s mine!_ The words rang in his head and the snarl that tore out of him, his fingers flexing as if to bare his claws, body hunching in a way that would have warned everyone in the hall that he was the fiercest predator in the area and would fight for what was his with everything he had. He could almost feel his tail lashing, but he wasn’t Chat Noir, he was Adrien Agreste, and he had a _very_ annoyed Marinette in his arms. At least she smelled frustrated, but he wasn’t about to back down, though a slim hand did slap against his cheek before it found his hair. The slap didn’t deter his growling, but once her fingers sank into his hair, he felt his eyelids go heavy, the growl deepening into an irritated rumble low in his chest. Soon enough his chin was resting on her shoulder, his snarl nothing more than an annoyed twist of his lips as he felt her somehow find every place on his scalp that had been itching to be touched since Ladybug had held him in her arms.

His lady…

His eyes fell shut as a purr rose in him, her sweet-as-sugar scent tempered with honey and faint cinnamon, wrapped up in his own just like it should be. Yes, the perfect scent, the smell of home, his lady’s scent blended with his so well that they were made for each other. Good enough to eat, and he nuzzled against the soft throat and breathed in her warmth as his grip on her relaxed and her voice washed over him and soothed the burning fury to a pleasant warmth that licked his bones and stoked the heat in his belly. Her fingertips teasing his hair, and he wanted to carry her away to someplace where they could lay together, her warmth tucked against his and she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone bothering them. No akumas, no others trying to vie for their attentions, only him and his lovely buginette.

“Shhhh, Adrien, it’s all right. I’m not going anywhere, you’re fine.” That sweet reassurance pleased him, but at the sound of his name his eyes snapped open and he flushed with embarrassment. He was still clinging to Marinette, who was weathering his temper tantrum with the patience of a saint and her classmate was staring at him as if he were actually going to lunge forward and bite them. Which a part of him insisted they deserved, but he was quickly coming to the conclusion that this small part of him was made of horrible ideas and should be ignored as often as humanly possible.

“I’m so sorry, I really need to get him home. I’ll message you about those notes later!” Marinette winced, waving hastily before trying to steer him away from her class and back towards the parking lot to his car. At least she waited until they were safely out the door before she really began scolding him. “Adrien, for goodness sake! I know it’s going to be hard what with you going into heat but there’s no reason for you to snap at people like...like a _wild animal!_ ” She sounded so exasperated that he felt his cheeks go hot, squirming a little even as she went fishing in his pockets to find his keys, rightfully deciding that he was in no condition to drive them anywhere.

“Sorry…” He tugged his scarf higher to try and hide his flushed cheeks, but she had him by the wrist and was dragging him off again.

“ _You’re_ sorry? I’m going to have to spend all next week apologizing to them! They’re shy enough as it is before you came along growling at them like that, I thought they were going to faint! You’re just lucky I like you so much you...you…” She paused, running out of steam as she sighed heavily, reaching up to rub her face. For a split second he could have sworn she was going to call him one of the usual names Ladybug used to chide him with, but this was Marinette, and somehow it just made the whole thing seem worse. “I’m sorry, Adrien. I know it’s hard, I shouldn’t snap, let’s just go home and we’ll have some hot cocoa or something, how’s that sound?”

“That sounds like a great idea, actually.” He smiled, feeling more than a little sheepish now that the haze had passed. At least he hadn’t actually set his teeth into her classmate, though he had a feeling he’d come across as more than a little unhinged. Whatever reason it had seemed like a good idea at the time, that reasoning was long gone now and he was sure they’d spend the whole ride back to their apartment building in awkward silence. Worse yet was being in such a small space meant all he could focus on was her scent. Dizzying and delicious like the pastries her family made, wrapped up in his smells and it just seemed so _right_ , but that was confusing. He’d only felt like that about…

He had to snap out of this. Every time he was too close to Marinette he started losing it. He had projects he had to work on, reports to do, at least one unit of calculus he had to finish before the next day, not to mention all the chores. The last thing he could do was let himself get totally distracted by the way one strand of hair had come undone from the twist he’d so carefully put her hair in. Or how it clung to her cheek and got caught between her lips when she gnawed at her lower lip because she was frustrated and thinking too hard. Or what her hair would look like unbound as it spilled over his pillows when he ran his teeth along her neck and—and Marinette was glaring at him, her face the color of Ladybug’s suit, and he felt like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Adrien Agreste, whatever it is you’re doing, you need to stop that right now. I can’t drive when you’re flooding the car with—with _sexy hormones_ or whatever it is you’re doing!” She almost squeaked the words at him, looking like she was going to burst from embarrassment, clenching his steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip as she hunched in her seat. He watched her for a moment, his mouth twisting, then had to bite his knuckle to hold in his laughter.

“Adrien, it’s _not funny!_ You’re awful! What if we crash!”

“Are you saying I’m sexy, Mlle Dupain-Cheng?” He put on his best Chat Noir smile, fluttering his lashes at her as she had to stifle a scream of flustered rage.

“You’re a menace! Why do I have a crush on you! You’re _awful!_ ” The last part was somewhere between a whine and a shout, though he found himself shocked into silence even though they’d been dancing around the fact for years. His heart thumped heavily against his ribs even though his memory flashed through the incident with her father, and yet. _And yet_. The flush on her cheeks and how bright her eyes were in that moment did funny things to him, his smile making his face ache as he stared out the window, purring noisily to himself. Sweet, delicious smelling Marinette, always casting soft looks his way, always warm and sweet and kind, his smile growing almost possessive as he wet his lips…

“What did I tell you about your dumb sexy hormones!” She swatted the back of his head with her knit cap, and all he could do was laugh.

“Sorry, sorry! I can’t help it!” The laughter really wasn’t helping him sound sincere, lifting an arm to protect himself from her kitten-like slaps with the soft beanie.

“You’re going to be sorry, Agreste!” Her cheeks puffed up as she tried her best to focus, somehow getting them safely home in spite of his misbehaviour.

* * *

For the first half of the afternoon, the couch had been comfortable enough. Marinette had made him a hot cocoa with extra cream and marshmallows, and he’d been content enough to cradle it in both hands and drink it down while she’d been bustling from one end of the apartment to the other. At first she’d been rummaging in her sewing things for something he’d assumed was for class, messaging her friend that he’d accidentally (on purpose) terrorised. Then she’d perched in one of the kitchen chairs doing a grocery list, the rhythmic tapping of her pen though quiet was just distracting enough for him to want to watch her. The twist he’d pinned her hair into hadn’t quite survived the trip home after the few times she’d snatched her hat off to hit him with, but it gave her a tousled look that sent a pleased rumble through him before he could squash it. The huge sweater and leggings she’d changed into once they’d gotten back were also nice. Not as flattering as her outfit for school had been, but the thick yarn and the plush knitted look made him want to pull her into his lap so he could squeeze her to him.

Although after the ride home, he wasn’t certain she’d want to be close to him right now, as she’d spent most of it getting increasingly flustered. Apparently every time his mind had wandered to how cute she was, he’d begun shedding more pheromones, and by the time they’d pulled into his parking spot she’d nearly bolted out of the car to get some fresh air. The flushed and breathless look had been _really_ nice on her, though, his tongue slipping out to wet his lips as he panted at the memory. It was the perfect expression; soft and pink-cheeked, her makeup only slightly smudged from her flustered tears, and it had made him want to lift her into his arms and kiss and nip at her until she’d screamed with laughter. Or screamed his name, he really hadn’t been feeling too picky at the time.

“Adrien…” Marinette dropped her pen on the counter, burying her face in her hands and rubbing her temples. Was she cross with him again? He sat up, brows arching as he watched her twist in her seat to squint at him, his head cocking in curiosity. She didn’t _look_ angry with him, and she didn’t smell angry with him, so perhaps he was safe for the moment. “Are you feeling okay? You’re doing it again.”

Again? What was she…? _Oh._ He set the mug on the coffee table and sprawled across the couch, running a hand over his face. Sweat coated his forehead, he hadn’t even realized how hot his face had gotten.

“I’m sorry, Marinette. I didn’t even realize I was doing it.” Now that he’d had time for his head to clear after the mess the morning had turned into, he was more than a little embarrassed about it. Especially with the way his thoughts kept tangling up around Marinette. A hand patted at his thigh, and he readily shifted his legs so she could curl up next to him, even if he immediately dropped his legs across her lap the moment she was settled. Marinette hardly seemed to mind, instead draping her arms over his knees as she watched him. He was still getting used to her being able to watch him without having one of her stuttering meltdowns, but the way she was studying him was making his face pink. After a moment she simply sighed, letting her head fall back against the cushions before she glanced at him again.

“So, how are you feeling? I didn’t have any omegas in the family growing up, so I don’t know what to expect. If I’m going to be keeping an eye out for you, I figure it’s probably best if you tell me what I might need to watch for.” A really embarrassing solution, but Marinette wasn’t too far off. Mannerisms did tend to run in families, habits and nesting patterns ingrained in children by their parents. Only it had been nearly ten years since… He took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling as he thought.

“I’m doing okay. Distracted easily, and I’m sorry. I...I _really_ don’t mean to stare like I have been, I usually wouldn’t be—”

“So obvious?” Marinette grinned, chuckling as he sputtered and clutched his shirtfront. “Sorry, sorry! I couldn’t resist!”

“Geez, Marinette, I’m trying to be serious!” He covered his face with a hand, laughing to himself. At least he felt more relaxed, slumping back against the cushions and squirming a little to get more comfortable. “I was going to say rude, but yes. Fine. Sometimes I look, are you happy now? I don’t know, I feel like it’s really hot in here, and you smell amazing, and I kind of want to redecorate. Not that you guys didn’t do a good job in here!” He waved his hands, his face feeling even hotter.

“You guys have a really nice apartment, I just think it needs...I don’t know. More….more pink?” He wrinkled his nose, staring at the walls, the carpet, all the decor as if seeing it for the first time since he’d helped the girls move in.

“More pink?” Marinette blinked, her forehead creasing as she watched him, and he held up a hand as an idea struck him.

“Yes. Actually that’s perfect! More pink, maybe some creams and reds. Hey, that reminds me, do you still have your old bedspreads?” He sat up, catching her hands in his, his thumbs rubbing her palms. She had such tiny, delicate hands, even if she had calluses on her index fingers from sewing and crafting so much. Marinette was so good at making things, and they all looked amazing. He had to make her something too. Something _really_ , really nice.

“My old bedding? I...I think I brought it with me, why?” She boggled at him, and he just wanted to cup her face in his hands and brush his thumbs across her freckles. Yes, something nice and as soft and warm as she was.

“Can I borrow it? I think I have a great idea.” He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, a grin spreading across his face as he found himself on his feet. Scooping up his mug, he polished off the last of the cocoa, dashing to the kitchen to leave it soaking in the sink while he got to work. They had a small room to work with, but it was fine, he had a solid image in his head, and it wouldn’t take too long. It was just a little too stuffy.

Marinette watched from her place on the couch as Adrien swept back into the sitting area, her hands drifting to cover her face as he popped more buttons on his shirt, stooping to push her coffee table aside and make more room. She could actually _see_ the seams on his trousers straining, glancing away at the last second when she caught herself staring. True, he’d done swimsuit shoots lately but still, it just...it just wasn’t the same!

Adrien was too busy to notice, huffing as he nudged the table into place against the entertainment center. Then he paused,head cocked as he realized that meant they wouldn’t be able to watch movies or play any video games. That wasn’t any good. His hair wasn’t helping him think either, falling into his eyes as he tried to do mental calculations on the space in the room, and he found himself patting down his pockets looking for an extra hair tie. Too many distractions, it wasn’t helping him think! He felt a little like how it was watching Marinette work, or trying to follow her conversations when her brain got ahead of her mouth and she was reduced to stammers and hand-flaps until the rest of her caught up with her head. Speaking of which….

“Need this for a moment.” He reached over, lifting her hand to buff his face against it, slipping the hair tie off her wrist and throwing his overgrown mane into a hasty knot on top of his head. Much better. His father had wanted to kill him for refusing to cut it, but there were so few areas of his life that he had absolute control over, he felt like the change had been well worth the arguments that had broken out over it. Besides, both Marinette and Ladybug had said it looked good on him, and that was what mattered most, so to hell with what père thought of it.

A bit more nudging and he had the furniture where he needed it, though there’d been a moment where he’d accidentally startled Marinette into letting out the cutest little scream when he’d had to move the couch she was sitting on without warning her first. From the look on her face and the way she’d nearly slipped off the cushions, he had a feeling she hadn’t minded knowing he could lift her _and_ the couch at the same time. That done, he sat on the arm of the couch, humming thoughtfully as he looked over the now surprisingly spacious sitting area. True, it wouldn’t have been as big as his old room, but his old room wasn’t good enough. Big enough, yes. But he didn’t want to go back. No, for now this space would work, he’d fix it up and Marinette would _love_ it when he was done. Glancing over his shoulder, he smiled down at her, excitement thrumming through him as she sat up.

“Can I borrow a couple of your pillows? I think it needs a few more out here.” His smile seemed to have stunned her for a moment, shaking her head and nearly knocking the twist loose when she roused herself, a few strands spilling over her shoulder. _Adorable._

“How many do you need?” She chewed her lip, and he hummed thoughtfully.

“Mmmm, all of them I think? Or as many as I can borrow. I’ll give them back later!” He tried to sound reassuring, as Marinette was looking more worried by the moment, but it wasn’t as if he was going to _take_ them. They weren’t even going to leave the apartment, so it was fine.

“Okay, I’ll be right back. Don’t...wander off or anything.” She wagged a finger at his nose and his face scrunched up at the thought. Why would he want to? No matter… As she walked off, he cocked his head to watch the way the hem of her sweater just barely covered her backside, giving him only the faintest glimpses of the crease between her thighs and her butt. Ah, well. He had more important things to do anyway.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, and his nose wrinkled as he scented the air again. The apartment was a blend of sharp spice and soft sweetness. The rose-and-pastry scent was thicker, which was much better, and he wandered through the hall, fingers brushing the cabinets until he found what he needed. Popping it open, he grinned at the sight of the linens. Soft florals and pinks and lavenders, and a little digging found an even better treasure. A matching Chat Noir set that must have been paired with the pajamas she’d worn the night before. But did he need that yet? He stood thinking, biting at his lip before he took the whole stack, closing the cabinet and determined to come back for the rest.

By the time Marinette returned, he had the bare bones down in the form of a ring that took up most of the open floor space, but he needed thicker blankets. More of them. A _lot_ more. The startled wheeze from the hallway had him turning with a smile, gathering up Marinette’s armful and grinning at her.

“Perfect! Thanks, Marinette! You’re amazing. I’ll need a bit more than this though, are there any other blankets I could use?” He stooped, carefully positioning the pillows before wandering past her to raid the linen closet again.

“Um, there’s Alya’s, I guess…?” She chewed her thumbnail and he shook his head, reaching out to gently pull her thumb from her mouth.

“Don’t do that, you just got your nails done. No, I don’t want to take any of Alya’s things, I wouldn’t want her to come back to all her sheets and things dirty. I have an idea though.” With the last of Marinette’s things out of the linen closet, he stuck his head in her room, finding exactly what he needed. “Could I borrow these too? We could camp out in the living room! It’ll be fun, I promise.” He glanced back at the doorway to find Marinette standing there, mortified and speechless, but after a long moment she sagged, scrubbing her face with her hands before she shrugged.

“Sure! That’s fine, take what you need, Adrien.” She still seemed a bit anxious about it, so he scooped up her oversized cat-shaped pillow into his arms, and leaned down to rub his cheek against the top of her head, purring noisily.

“Thanks, Marinette. It’ll be great, just you wait and see.” He purred louder at the pat to his spine, beaming down at her before sweeping past. It didn’t take long, but he was still feeling like it was missing something when he had all her blankets, pillows, and sheets carefully placed. The whole thing wasn’t even half finished! That wasn’t going to work at all! Whipping out his phone to call Nino, he paced the hallway and wished he were in his suit. He wanted to prowl, to feel his tail whip behind him. His clothes _still_ felt too tight even as he shed his shirt and added it to the pile, hardly noticing the strangled noise that came from somewhere behind him.

“Dude, I’m in the middle of cl—” Nino’s voice was hushed when he finally picked up, but Adrien was too relieved to hear him actually on the phone to pay much attention.

“Nino, can you grab me two dozen strings of fairy lights on your way home? Not the super bright ones, but I need a lot. I might need some extension cords. Also I’m going to grab some things from the apartment, is that fine?”

“Fairy lights…?” There was a long moment of silence at the other end, then a soft ‘oooohhhh’ as realization seemed to dawn on him. “I got you dude, but that’s not really cheap, you know?”

“I know, I just need them, and I’m in the middle of something right now so—”

“So you need me to go grocery shopping, got it. Alright my dude, if you think of anything else you need, just text me. I can’t keep answering any time you get an idea, but I’ll pick up whatever you need on the way back. That good with you?”

“Thanks, Nino! You’re the best.” Adrien grinned, scooping up his keys and heading for the door, hearing Marinette scramble to get her shoes on as she hurried after him.

“I know, my dude. Try not to run M. ragged while you’re with her, okay?”

“I’m not doing anything to her, I swear. It’s fine. Thanks again.” That done, he hurried down the hall, the crisp winter air in the corridor leaving him a little shivery, but it was more the smells that bothered him. Too many clashing scents, and not enough of the ones he liked. It was fine, he’d have that sorted out shortly. At least with Marinette following him, he could carry more than just by himself, which was incredibly handy. True, he only let her carry a few pillows, but it meant fewer trips in the end. 

Adrien could hardly contain his excitement. His nest was going to look fantastic when he was finished with it!


	5. Cavities and Crinolines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Realizing that she's now left alone to watch a very needy Adrien, Marinette struggles to keep her cool in the face of her best friend's torment and her own tangled feelings about her partner Chat Noir. Can she keep from dying from embarrassment? Will she be able to overcome her guilt? Will Adrien be able to keep his pants on for long enough that she doesn't die from a heart attack? Things are getting steamy for the flustered bug, and she's not sure she'll be able to make it through the night!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gooooood timezone, starshines~! Once again it is I, ZiriO, bringing you the latest and steamier bits! Many thanks to the amazing and lovely MiniMinou, HariWrites and LaterDays, who encourage me and beat up my chapters until they're in spiff condition. They're wonderful and keep my bits from oozing all over the place. BUT I hope y'all are ready, 'cause things are really starting to spice up around here!
> 
> Hang on to your seats to see whether or not Alya will ever stop teasing her best friend? Is Adrien allergic to clothes? Is Marinette going to lose her mind because this boy is driving her crazy? Tune in next time to find out and I'll see you then! And as always, please enjoy!

“So he grabbed literally all the blankets the both of you have and he _still_ says it’s not enough?” Alya looked surprised, while Marinette nodded, looking more tired by the moment, cutting another strip of fabric into smaller pieces and separating it into a series of stacks by size. She was fairly certain she almost had enough by this point, but she’d also lost count somewhere along the way and that was going to bite her in the butt later, she just knew it.

“Yeah, so I figured we’d go to the store to buy new ones, but he didn’t want to, so I suggested we go to the _fabric_ store, and I told him I’d let him pick out what fabrics he liked most. Only problem is my sewing table’s in my room and he doesn’t want me to leave the room.” Wrinkling her nose, she counted out the squares and rectangles and triangles two at a time, sighing in relief when she found that she’d actually cut just enough.

“Well, I suppose that explains why you’re camped out at the kitchen counter…” Alya trailed off as Marinette just nodded dumbly, pinning the strips together as she built up cohesive patterns. Behind her in the living room, Adrien was sulking, having been caught trying to pinch one of Marinette’s nicer fabrics to add to the growing heap on what had _been_ their living room floor just that morning and been scolded for it. Honestly, Alya should have seen this coming.

“So you had to call home?”

“Yeah,” Marinette sighed, pushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. “Maman and papa were busy with the bakery, but they said they’d drop off my extra bedding and quilting fabrics as soon as they could.” Even though she was pinning things into place, she was not entirely surprised when the light was blocked above her and a heavy mass was suddenly leaning against her back. With a soft sigh, she took care not to stick herself with a pin as she matched up another set of squares.

“What’s wrong, Adrien?” She glanced up, only seeing a fringe of gold at the edge of her vision before he shifted, his arms draping around her shoulders. For a moment he seemed satisfied resting his chin on her head, then he made an irritated grumbling noise and his nose was shoved against her bare throat.

“I’m _lonely._ ” He sounded so unbearably forlorn that it pulled at her, but she had to keep working on these squares. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge him for a moment, and she ran her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp and patting his head like she would Chat Noir. The result was almost exactly the same. His happy noises were instant, only she didn’t have a magic suit to protect her from his five o’clock shadow as he rubbed his face against her and nearly scraped her raw. At least his happy humming noise was really cute, she’d forgive him the beard burn for the cute noises he made alone.

“I know, but you wanted the extra blankets, didn’t you? Just be patient, I’m almost done.” It was like babysitting, and she was trying to ignore the noises Alya was making, because she really didn’t want to know how hard her best friend was trying not to laugh at her. Adrien just shook his head, hugging her tighter.

“You’ve been at that for ages, take a small break and lie with me? Come see how it’s turning out.” She felt his mouth press against her shoulder just a moment before the nip of his teeth made her flinch, and she had to drop the sewing things so she wouldn’t stab herself.

“Hey, it’s looking pretty good sunshine! Can I come try it out?” Alya winked at Marinette, then leaned towards the pile with a pleased smile, keeping a close eye on Adrien.

Adrien, who had been lazily draped across Marinette’s shoulders doing his best impression of a fur stole, narrowed his eyes at Alya when she even suggested laying in the beginnings of his nest. Before she could even take a step towards it, his hand slammed against the wall, using his full height to loom over Alya as a deep growl slipped past his clenched teeth. With one hand on the kitchen counter and the other on the wall, he’d effectively blocked Alya’s path, his teeth bared in warning. Marinette stared in shock, while Alya just laughed, already having taken two steps back to give him room.

“See? I told you not to worry, Marinette. Sunshine won’t let anyone bother him that he doesn’t _want_ to bother him. That was obviously him being polite because he likes me.” Alya smirked up at Adrien, who was snorting and still glaring at her suspiciously, and he watched her slowly raise her hand to pat his shoulder as if still deciding whether or not she needed a warning bite as well. “See, Adrien? Just me. I’m not really going to go mess up your nest after you worked so hard on it. Come on, girlie, go see what he worked on! He’s spent all day making it pretty and everything. Go, shoo! The fabric isn’t going to run away on you while you’re not looking.”

Thoroughly convinced that Alya was not about to betray him, Adrien relaxed, once more looking hopefully to Marinette who was still trying to process the image of Adrien flexing and snarling in her doorway like a _wild cat_. Something about that was sticking in her mind, her thoughts churning almost painfully as Adrien and Alya hauled her out of her chair and led her to his carefully made nest.

“....Adrien, why is my shirt from yesterday in there?” She looked up, and Adrien looked away, pointedly avoiding her gaze. “And are those my… _Adrien how did you find my lingerie drawer?_ I haven’t even worn those before!” Her cheeks puffed up, and though he tried to give her a winning smile he looked surprisingly flustered.

“Well, I...they smelled nice?” He almost looked ashamed of himself, having hidden some of her fancier negligees between layers of bedding and obviously having hoped she wouldn’t notice. Her cheeks felt hot as she glanced down at her hands resting in his, partially annoyed with him but at the same time… Flattered wasn’t exactly the word for what she felt either. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was feeling knowing that her crush had not only raided her dirty laundry but also apparently rummaged through her underwear drawers looking for her fanciest undergarments that she’d been hoping to save for a future date night. Apparently that date night just happened to involve piling her underwear in a tastefully-arranged nest in the middle of her living room floor.

“I’m glad you like them at least.” She bit her lip, and he made what could only be called a chirping sound. Where had she heard that? It...it couldn’t be. No, she must have misheard. Still, he was lifting her into the middle of the nest with him, hugging her close as he buried his face in her hair and rubbed his cheeks against it. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe he wasn’t the only omega that purred and chirped when he was happy? _Because she was pretty sure he was purring at her right now._

Heart pounding, she found herself being tugged into Adrien’s lap as he collapsed back into the heap of blankets, purring so loud he almost drowned out the sound of Alya’s laughter. It didn’t hide the snap of a camera going off, though, much to Marinette’s dismay. Adrien wasn’t _quite_ smothering her, nuzzling her throat as he wrapped himself around her, nestled in their blankets and pillows. It was really kind of comfortable once she relaxed into it, his hair silken soft against her skin as it escaped the knot he’d wrapped it up in. Must have been all the work he’d put into shoving the blankets into place, and she found his purr grew almost deafening when she ran her fingers through his hair.

“It’s so soft…” Her murmur made him grin, a flash of blindingly white fangs and a glitter of green eyes through thick lashes. Wait, _fangs?_ Had his teeth always looked that sharp? She didn’t get a chance to get a better look before his face was buried against her chest, one of his arms snaking under her legs to lift them over his hip so he could press harder against her. If she hadn’t felt lightheaded before, she certainly did _now_ , because even all the hugging and impromptu wrestling matches over the years hadn’t fully prepared her for exactly how much of him was rubbing against her. He was purring noisily, the rumble vibrated to the marrow of her ribs as he tucked her head against his chest, close enough to hear his heartbeat, his scent filling her with every breath.

“You two going to be okay if I leave you alone?” Alya smirked down at them from the edge of the nest, taking care not to disturb the outer edge of blankets now that Adrien was casting a wary eye her direction at her approach. Marinette was feeling too overwhelmed for words, waving at her only for Adrien to take her hand and press it against his cheek where he could nip at her fingertips. Oh goodness, _oh dear._ If she was having a hard time thinking before, it was so much worse when his playful nips sent hot jolts up her arm like that. He lifted her hand to his shoulder, smiling down at her before he cuddled close again, and Marinette found her eyes falling shut as she buried her face against him. Only for her face to blaze hot again when she heard Alya’s blasted camera go off again and she remembered _Adrien was shirtless and had her in his mating nest._

“ _ALYA!_ ” Marinette wailed, trying to untangle her limbs from Adrien’s in a desperate bid to escape the nest and snatch Alya’s phone away. “Don’t _post anything!_ ” Adrien let out an unhappy grumble at the loss, trying to follow her and looking as if she’d kicked him, while Alya danced out of her reach.

“Marinette I’m just saving these for you two for later! Chill out!” The laughter hardly made Marinette feel better, which must have showed on her face from the way Adrien was protectively holding her and Alya held up her hands in a truce. “I mean it, I figured it’s Adrien’s first nest, he should have some cute photos to remember it by, okay?”

“Ugh, fine.” Marinette sighed, letting Adrien pull her back against him and soothe her frazzled nerves with... with… she let out a soft sound of happiness, not entirely certain what he was doing but knowing it felt _amazing._ His fingers and mouth worked along her neck and spine, leaving her boneless in his arms, and she kind of wanted to die a little since Alya was _right there_ but at the same time she never wanted him to stop. Until she heard the lock turn over in the door and her mother and father stepped into the apartment.

Her eyes snapped open when she realized she was on the floor, half buried under her mostly naked crush, who had her pinned with his mouth _on her throat while they were in his mating nest._ While Alya was standing around taking photos. There was no way on earth this didn’t look horrible and her father was going to break Adrien in _half_ if her mother didn’t kill him first. Maybe if she just lay still no one would notice her or she could just die of shame quickly and get it over with.

“Honey, why didn’t you tell us you two were dating? We would’ve stopped by sooner!” Her mother sounded somewhere between surprised and teasing and Marinette was a split second away from screaming at the unfairness of the universe. At least Adrien looked up at the sound of new voices, which meant things looked _slightly_ less awful, but only just.

“We’re...we’re not. It’s a long story?” Marinette tried to smile, but it came out as more of a wince as Adrien pushed his hair out of his face to see better, and the sight of him half naked and tossing his hair over his shoulders made her stomach flip and her heart squeeze. Not helping! Yet he hardly seemed to notice her distress, taking one look at Tom and Sabine with their arms full of extra bedding and Marinette’s sewing supplies and nearly leaping to his feet with an excited chirp.

“Sabine, Tom! Thank you so much! Marinette, look what they brought, come see.” He stooped to help her to her feet as if they _hadn’t_ practically been making out in the middle of the floor, lifting her easily as if she were made of spun sugar before gratefully taking the blankets from her mother. Marinette barely had time to step out of the way as Adrien got back to work, burying his face in the blankets before tucking them into the nest.

“These are _perfect,_ they smell amazing. Just like fresh cookies!” Burying his face in a pillow, Adrien breathed deep before carefully patting it into place. It was like he hadn’t just been trying to smother her against him only a few minutes ago, and Marinette was struggling to match the childish giddiness with the gleaming fangs and sultry glances as he’d pulled her against him. Sinking into her seat at the kitchen nook, Marinette tried to rub the exhaustion away when she felt her mother’s hand on her shoulder.

“It’s all right, sweetheart. He’s doing a very good job. I had a feeling we might accidentally walk in on something like that after the messages you left.” Even though her mother sounded understanding, that didn’t make Marinette feel much better.

“I am so sorry, I had no idea he was going to do that.” Her fingers dragged down her face, leaving Sabine to simply shake her head at her daughter and smooth Marinette’s hair away from her forehead.

“Just because Tom never built nests doesn’t mean I don’t know how this works. I just hope he likes all of the bedding we brought.” Sabine turned to watch Tom as he peered at the nest, a flash of anxiety flickering in Marinette’s chest before she realized Adrien had hastily hidden her unmentionables a bit better before her father had gotten close enough to see anything that would’ve ended with a homicide. Still, she paused, her forehead furrowing as she noticed Adrien excitedly showing off the nest to Tom as if…

As if looking for approval.

“I thought he’d chase people off? He almost snapped at Alya earlier and she was just teasing him about getting too close to it.” Marinette mused, plucking at her lower lip while her mother simply smiled.

“Well, that’s because Tom’s your _father_ , not competition for either of you.” Sabine lifted another pillow out of one of their oversized totes, and beckoned to Marinette to follow. When she got to the edge, she peered at the nest, then watched as Adrien raked his hair out of his face to pat another blanket into place. “Adrien, honey? We’ve got more pillows in the car. Want me to go get them for you?” At that, he looked up, a boyish smile spreading across his face as he reached for the pillow, pressing it to his face before hugging it to his chest in acceptance.

“Yes, please. I think it’s almost done. Oh!” He pushed himself to his feet, tucking the pillow under one arm as he made his way to the light switch. “Nino helped me with this, what do you think?” He flicked off the main lights, then rummaged a bit before flicking on another switch, catching his lower lip in his teeth as he practically vibrated in excitement. Soft lights blinked on, their warm glow dim enough to keep the room cozy and almost dreamy, while dazzling as they twinkled even from within the outer layers of the nest.

“They’re LED lights, so they don’t run hot. Does it look nice?” Adrien padded closer again, hugging the pillow to his chest as he watched Marinette closely. She was so busy drinking in the view she didn’t see Alya quietly taking a video of her reaction, or the way Tom gently wrapped an arm around Sabine’s shoulder and hugged her close. Her fingers tangled in the hem of her sweater as she turned in a circle, noting how the lighting had been strung over the windows and doorways, wondering when the guys had had the time when she’d been right there in the apartment with them. She even knew he’d asked Nino to grab the lights! Even still, knowing they’d done something with them and actually seeing it done were very different things.

“It looks amazing, Adrien. I love it.” And for a moment, she felt as if he’d made it just for her and not this mystery girl he liked, when his arms snaked around her waist and his chin rested heavily on her shoulder, his purr loud and deep. Without even thinking, she reached up, scratching his scalp just behind the place a pair of black ears would have been had it been her partner purely out of instinct as she basked in his warmth and the soft glow of the lights.

* * *

By the time he’d finished adding all the extra bedding her parents had brought, the nest was looking surprisingly well-made. He’d even worn himself out enough that he was curled up in it, half-dozing with his head propped up on the pillow off her bed while he cuddled her old, patched cat pillow. For a moment she just watched him, a soft smile spreading across her face, then turned to her sewing machine. 

He’d kicked up a fuss at the thought of her going to her room even after he’d finished the current stage of his nest, so her papa had helped move her sewing machine to the kitchen while she’d been busy soothing the stress away. Adrien had nearly squeezed her in half when he’d latched on, and it had taken nearly half an hour of petting his hair to reassure him that just because she left the room didn’t mean she was leaving him all by himself. Once Tom and Sabine were sure the pair were settled, and Alya had double checked that she had everything she needed (as well as jokingly reminding Marinette where the slick catcher pads were _in front of her parents_ , to Marinette’s continued mortification), Marinette and Adrien finally had the apartment to themselves.

Which was how he’d dropped to sleep so easily once the subtle stressors were gone. He’d shed his clothes down to his boxer briefs, leaving Marinette clapping her hands over her eyes, nudged things around in the nest to get comfortable, then curled up like an overgrown cat with a tendency for sprawling. The whole apartment was filled with his scent now, his continuous purring almost loud enough to drone out her sewing machine as she worked, the colors of the squares bringing a smile to her face. He’d insisted the black and lime green fabrics had to be paired with the reds and pinks, and wouldn’t have it any other way no matter how they clashed. Then again, she found herself humming happily as she matched up a set of black and red squares, the buzzing feeling building in her chest. Ladybug might be able to work well on her own, but without Chat Noir, it wouldn’t be the same. Maybe she’d have to make one of these for herself too, or at least one for Chat. Maybe he and his alpha would like that.

The thought still twisted her stomach, but the idea of him as a stray just hurt her more. Even with Adrien’s scent addling her head, she couldn’t bear the thought of Chat breaking down for being alone. It was distracting enough that one of her pins slipped, and she bit back a hiss as she jerked upright from the pain. Sucking at her thumb, she winced, shooting a glance at Adrien to see if she’d accidentally woken him. He was still asleep, shifting into a more comfortable position, his purr deepening as his fingers brushed his collarbone. Was Chat as comfortable as Adrien was? Did he have somewhere safe to go to? Sliding off her stool, she wandered to the bathroom, her fingers trailing along the wall while she tried not to dwell on the sight of Chat’s sweat-soaked face and how he’d tried to cling to her hand.

Somehow having Adrien nesting in her living room felt like it should be a betrayal, yet she couldn’t help but feel like it was right. Meant to be, in a way. Was it just Adrien’s heat getting to her? A soft weight on her shoulder brought a smile to her face as she scrubbed her hands at the sink, and stooped to go digging through the cabinet for a bandage once they were dry.

“Oh, Tikki. I don’t know what to do.” Marinette felt close to tears, nudging the bathroom door shut and sitting on the edge of the tub. Tiny paws patted her cheek, and her kwami nuzzled against her reassuringly.

“I think you’re doing a great job so far, Marinette. You’ve been handling all of this really well considering you’ve never had to before.” Her eyes shone in the dim lights, seeming deeper and darker than ever as Marinette lifted her hands for Tikki to settle on.

“Yes, but what about Chat Noir? I’m so worried.” She bit her lip, and Tikki lifted a paw to wipe her eyes before her tears could spill. Somehow, seeing the smile on Tikki’s face chased away the fears, the tiny kwami’s antennae twitching.

“Don’t worry, I have a feeling he’ll be just fine. Listen to your heart, you should be able to feel whether or not he’s okay. Like a gut instinct. Close your eyes, and try to relax.” Tikki beamed at Marinette until she returned the smile, though it was shaky, trying to let go of the residual jitters that were making her tense. Ever since Adrien’s heat had really started to set in, she’d been on edge and jumpy, and that wasn’t helping anyone at all now that she thought about it. It probably had been why she’d had a hair-pin trigger all day long, ever since she’d nearly shouted at their classmate. That felt like years ago instead of just a handful of hours.

“There you go, just breathe, let the day go and focus on how you feel.” Even with her eyes shut, it was easy to hear the smile in Tikki’s voice, making it easier to relax, to focus on breathing steadily. How _did_ she feel about everything? Once she stopped to let go of the overwhelming rush, there was a sense of all being right in the world. Warm, comfortable, and most of all…

“Safe. I feel safe. Like I’m where I should be.” Her brows creased, nose wrinkling for a moment as she looked down at Tikki again. “So if I feel like that, then...then Chat’s okay, too?” Warmth flooded her at Tikki’s nod, her shoulders sagging in relief.

“You’d feel itchy all over if he wasn’t, like you needed to go to him and check on him. If you ever feel like that, listen to that feeling. Usually your instincts will head you in the right direction.” Tikki pushed off of Marinette’s hands, rubbing her cheek against Marinette’s to help soothe her Chosen’s nerves.

“Thanks Tikki.” Marinette grinned, then caught her lip in her teeth as she had a thought. “Do you think I should make a quilt for Chat, too? Like the one I’m doing for Adrien?” She wanted to see the look on Chat’s face, see if he liked it, but then again, what would his alpha think if he was getting gifts from someone else? Tikki only laughed, her giggles bright and charming and helping to lift Marinette’s spirits even more.

“I think you have enough on your plate trying to help Adrien right now! Worry about that first, then see if Chat needs anything the next time you see him. One thing at a time, Marinette!” She patted her Chosen’s cheeks, drawing a sheepish laugh out of the young woman before she pushed off the edge of the tub.

“You’re right as always, Tikki. Thanks, I really needed that.” Lifting her kwami close, Marinette pressed a kiss to the black spot on Tikki’s forehead. Her kwami simply preened, her tail fanning and waving as she hummed with delight.

“You’re welcome, you know I’m always happy to listen.” Then Tikki hid herself in the high collar of Marinette’s sweater as she stepped back into the hall, peeking out into the living room to see if Adrien had woken up. He was still where she’d left him, though he roused when she stepped back into the room.

“Mari…?” Green eyes cracked open, his spine arching as he stretched, letting one hand fall to rub his face. Crouching down next to the nest, she smiled at him, her cheeks flushing as she hesitantly pushed his bangs out of his eyes with her unbandaged hand.

“I’m right here, Adrien. Everything’s fine.” It made her feel warm all over when he pillowed his head on his arm, smiling wider as he seemed to slip back into sleep. She was close to standing up again when his fingers caught on her sleeve, though the bashful look on his face surprised her.

“Marinette, can...may I kiss you?” He squirmed, a sleepy sort of shuffle as he shyly ducked his head. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she took in the sight of his long eyelashes dusting his cheeks, his hand resting over his heart. She wanted to pinch herself so hard to check if she was dreaming, she almost did it, but resisted the urge.

“Yes! I-I mean, of course, whenever you’d like. Thank you for asking?” The words spilled out of her faster than she could keep up with them, leaning forward hopefully, her nerves jangling expectantly. Only for Adrien to sigh softly, already slipping back into sleep. Marinette wanted to scream, and Tikki’s soft, muffled giggles weren’t helping at all! Letting out her frustration in a long sigh of her own, she just shook her head and ran her fingers through Adrien’s hair one last time.

“Sweet dreams, Adrien.” For a moment, she had half a mind to press a kiss to his soft hair, but just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she brushed her knuckles across his cheek and pushed herself to her feet, dragging herself back to the kitchen counter to finish more of his quilt. After all, it wasn’t as if it was going to finish itself, and she needed to put all her excess, frustrated energy to good use _somehow_.

* * *

When Adrien woke, it was to being wrapped in the best sort of smells, arching his back to rub against the soft fabrics he was bundled in before realizing there was something out of place. Something new that didn’t quite feel or smell right. Cracking an eye open immediately dragged him closer to fully waking, as a massive blanket was draped over the top of his nest, almost tent-like. As much as he wanted to simply lounge and rub the warm tingling sensations out of his limbs, he had to inspect the new addition. Sitting up properly, he chirped at the sight of the reds and pinks. The blanket that was red on the underside with pink edges, and covered with splashes of _his_ colors on top. Pressing his face against it he breathed deep, Marinette’s scent on each and every square, the strangeness came from the fact that it was _new_.

Sweet, perfect, wonderfully amazing Marinette had made him an absolutely massive blanket, the fabric stiff from lack of use, but it meant it was a perfect canvas. Fresh and ready. Clutching it tight to his chest he glanced around, a questioning chirrup escaping him when he didn’t see her by her sewing machine at the kitchen nook, or on the couch. For a moment he was about to leave the nest when he caught her scent, strong and warm and so close. A pale hand was draped over the edge of his nest, resting on top of the new blanket, and he leaned over to peer over the rim.

Sure enough, she was slumped against the mounded pile of pillows and bedding, fast asleep on the wrong side of the nest’s wall. Wrinkling his nose with a soft cluck of his tongue, he rested his chin on the lip of the nest to watch her sleep. Her other hand was tucked against her chest, a new bandage on her finger, and he couldn’t resist gently taking it and pulling it close to kiss her knuckles.

“Oh, Marinette…” He purred, rubbing her wounded hand against his cheek before leaning closer to nuzzle her hair. It seemed to rouse her for a moment, but true to form, she only shifted enough to bury her face deeper into the bedding.

“Up you go, my briar rose.” He stood, stepping over the edge to gather her up in his arms. For a moment she resisted, wanting to stay snuggled against the wall of blankets, but a low purring croon was enough to coax her into being held. “That’s it, just like that…” Nuzzling her throat earned him the sweetest little tired moan, and he took care laying her down in the nest. Even better was seeing her stretch, muscles taut and face scrunched, only to curl up and reach for his warmth. Chuckling, he found it almost impossible to resist, pulling their new blanket in with him as he settled down at her side and pulled her against him. With Marinette nuzzling under his chin, it didn’t take long at all before he was asleep again, his fingers tangling in her hair.


	6. Night’s Sweet Serenades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Alya's plan to pair up the oblivious lovers finally in action, Marinette wakes up to find Adrien's heat has fully set in. Will she be able to keep her cool, or will she be swept up in her crush's scorching embrace? For a girl that's never had a close encounter with an omega in heat, will she be able to keep her wits about her or crumble in the face of everything she's ever wanted? Things are finally starting to heat up and Marinette may find herself out of her league!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? A _double_ update? Why yes indeed my starshines, once again it is I, ZiriO, bringing more fic in celebration of not only wrapping up a present fic but also the fact that it's my birthday and I feel like going out on a high note! Also, I believe that people have, in fact, been waiting for the sin to begin. WELL FEAR NOT, CITIZENS, for we're about to unlock Pandora's box and this is where everything starts to get kinky. Fasten your seatbelts and hang on tight, because from here on out it's nothing but a downhill slide into the kink bin as we blast off into what started us on this whole messy business in the first place.
> 
> After all, you didn't think you'd escape _all_ the kinky hijinks that come with an A/B/O fic, did you?
> 
> Many thanks for MiniMinou and LaterDays for pulling out a last-second round of edits and being all around wonderful ladies and I love them to bits, to HariWrites for being fantastic and giving it a read-through when I smashed it out in one sitting like a fiend, and to the squad for encouraging my insanity for whatever reason they do this, if it hadn't been for them, I probably would've burned out and not been able to keep going ages ago. So thanks again, starshines!
> 
> Now, from here on out for all the sin chapters, I'm going to start listing any questionable content ahead of time, and new tags will be added as I update. For any of the more hardcore chapters, I'll post chapter summaries at the end. With that out of the way, I hope this will help!
> 
> So as always please enjoy! What will happen now that Marinette and Adrien have been abandoned to their own devices? Will the lovesquare shenanigans ever cease? Will Adrien regret his life choices? Will Marinette survive or will she finally discover whether or not she can die from embarrassment?! Stay tuned to find out!
> 
> **Content warning:** Heavy fantasizing about mating bites, dirty talk, and frottage

Morning was not at all what Marinette wanted to deal with that day. Groaning softly, she hid her face as she rolled over, ducking away from the scant light that was creeping into her room. When she reached to pull a pillow over her face, her fingers brushed warm skin and soft hair, and something shifted against her. 

What she’d _thought_ was a pillow under her head was most definitely an arm. 

“Mmm, good morning.” A deep rumble filled her with a hot shivery feeling, a warm hand sliding up the back of her neck as someone rolled toward her and planted a soft kiss on her hair. If this wasn’t a great, albeit a little nerve-racking, way to wake up she didn’t know what was. It was certainly very distracting, a calloused thumb stroking the edge of her ear even as he hugged her close enough that his thigh between hers was making her squirm. 

Which brought a _completely different problem_ to her attention as her face went hot and his purr only deepened.

“G-good morning, Adrien.” Was there a safe place to put her hands? She didn’t think there was, there was just so much bare skin, and anytime she touched him he shifted his hips. Pinned against him like she was made it almost impossible not to notice how he burned to the touch, or the way he reacted to her. His purr stuttered and thrummed louder as he shivered beneath her fingers even as he pressed into her touch. His lips parted to bare his fangs as he began to pant. Oh, those were _definitely_ fangs. Marinette had no idea when his teeth had grown so sharp, but the sight of his lips peeling back from them had her breath catching. Or maybe that was from how he was grinding his hips against hers.

A small whine escaped her. He was so hot to the touch that her sweater stifled her, his hair tickling her cheeks as he bent his head to drag his lips down the curve of her jaw. The hand that had been cradling the back of her neck slid down her spine, his fingertips so light she almost couldn’t feel them until his palm flattened on her hip. Hot breath ghosted across her cheek as he panted, wetting his lips while his fingers plucked at the hem of her sweater.

“Marinette...may I?” He nosed at her cheek, and she tipped her head to offer him her throat, dizzy with his closeness. How often had she dreamed he’d hold her and ask to kiss her? The reality was nothing like her soft and romantic dreams, his grip was gentle yet scorching. The dreamy kisses she’d imagined had held none of the growl that lay deep in his purr, his sweat-soaked hair and clammy forehead pressed against her skin, and she was fairly certain the only thing _soft_ about him was the tangle of golden hair that was everywhere and the lips that were dragging towards her ear and making her whimper.

“Yes. _Please_ , yes.” Her breathless plea seemed to be enough for him. Her fingertips dug into his side the moment his lips latched around her earlobe and sucked. For a moment she completely forgot about her miraculous, clutching Adrien close as he dragged a moan from her. His touch gave her goosebumps as the hand on her hip drifted higher, sliding beneath her sweater to palm her bare skin. 

She felt herself go limp in his arms as he released her ear, kissing her earring and the soft place just behind her jaw. A low, pleased growl rumbled through him and across her throat, followed by his tongue as he tasted her skin while heat blossomed low in her belly and between her thighs. Everything in her was begging for him to set his fangs against her skin. The ache was deep, and so strong that she didn’t even bother to hide her whimper as she squeezed her eyes shut tight.

Would it hurt? She knew it _should_ hurt, his fangs were huge, but she’d read something ages ago that a mating bite triggered a rush of endorphins that would put the recipient in a pleasant, mental fog. Yet he seemed less inclined to bite, and the only thing that saved her from the crushing weight of disappointment was the fact that he’d taken to kissing her throat instead. _With_ teeth, she discovered, as a sharp nip startled a gasp from her, and the second left her shivering. 

By the time he’d worked his way from her jaw to the collar of her sweater and down to her shoulder, she was embarrassed to realize she’d started rocking against his thigh, and her throat ached in a way that made her want to pull her hair up and bare the rest of it for him to have his way with. She wanted to be covered in his kisses, to feel his teeth against her bare skin so she could look at it later and feel where he’d been. The thought of running her fingers over any marks he might leave on her skin, temporary claims that felt like wordless promises, had her trembling under his touch.

Her nails dragged along his ribs, and Adrien bared his fangs as he groaned, his hips twitching to meet her own and the sudden thrust had her whining through clenched teeth. She needed him, she needed more. So much that she didn’t protest when he tugged at her leggings in a wordless bid for permission, instead, simply squirmed to try and help him get them off. They were clammy and stuck to her skin, and as soft as they were she wanted them _gone_. Once he’d tugged them free she breathed a sigh of relief, only for him to startle a moan out of her when he nipped her shoulder again.

“May I touch?” He crooned, nuzzling her throat, and if he’d asked, Marinette had half a feeling that she’d have just handed him her earrings if he’d asked for them with that tone of voice. Instead she nodded, unable to trust her voice, especially when his hand slid over her bare thigh and left her squirming all the more for his attention. His fingers hovered at her knee, pausing as if unsure if he was allowed more, and Marinette was shocked with herself when she lifted her knee, silently offering permission. His panting ruffled her bangs, but he wasn’t doing more than stare, seeming to require her verbal consent.

“ _Please,_ Adrien.” She whined, rubbing her face against his chest as she tried to get a better hold on him, her hands slipping on his back, dragging a pleased growl out of him. Her reward was his fingers pressing hard against her panties, her knee twitching higher as he shifted under her. With one thigh trapped between his and her other knee hooked on his elbow, Marinette licked her lips and hid her face, too embarrassed to look at him now that he could see everything. She couldn’t even remember what underwear she was wearing, her face burning as his fingertips stroked the soaked fabric. As much as she wanted to rub against his hand for more, he took his time teasing her, testing to see what noises he could pull from her with just a flick of a fingertip.

“Look at how wet you are, Marinette.” He sounded almost as breathless as she felt, grazing her with his lips and fangs as he spoke until he had her tipping her head back to bare her throat for him again. “Is this for me? You’ve already marked me with it, spreading your scent all over my thigh. That’s surprisingly naughty.” He kissed her throat right over her pulse, teasing her with the sharp pricks of his teeth, making her clench and whine. Soothing her with the wet heat of his tongue, he licked a path up her throat to her chin just as his fingers toyed with her entrance through her panties, swiping upward to circle her clit until her leg was shivering.

“Is that what you want, Marinette?” His lips brushed the corner of her mouth, his voice a low whisper that she felt in her core as his fingertips circled her aching nub. “Do you want to coat me in your scent and make me yours? Do you want to keep me all to yourself? Shall I leave a little present on your throat so everyone knows that I claimed this pretty princess all to myself? Is that it, Marinette?” His fingers pressed harder against her folds, rubbing wide circles against her until his fingers were slipping from the flood of her juices, his thumb toying with her clit. Unable to do more than hang on tight, Marinette found her head a roaring blank, lost in his touch as his fangs dragged across her skin.

“A-Adrien, _please—!_ ” She’d beg him for anything, her hips twitching towards his, needing more but he kept her pinned in place, his purr loud enough to drown out her thoughts. “ _Adrien!_ ”

“Come for me, Marinette. I’ll catch you, I’m right here, aren’t I? You smell so good, I could eat you up, so come on, let me see. I want to see you cover me in your scent and show everyone how much you want me. Let me keep you all to myself. Mark me, Marinette.” The last words were whispered in her ear, purred so only she could hear and her hips twitched, trying desperately to fill the aching emptiness but Adrien pushed her over the edge with a purr and a rasp of his teeth across her throat. Stars blinded her as her body seemed to seize, his name caught in her throat and when the fog began to clear he kissed her so sweetly her chest ached. Gentle, tender kisses where before she’d felt like he planned to devour her, his tongue lapping the beads of sweat from her skin until she could focus again.

“There, I’ve got you, I’m right here.” He rubbed his cheek against hers, purring to her until she relaxed in his grip. “All safe, my lovely Marinette.” She let her head rest against him, feeling boneless and sticky, though she’d be lying if she said the sight of him lifting his dripping fingers to his lips and smearing her juices across his mouth before licking his fingers clean didn’t do all kinds of things to her. Sucking on her bottom lip, she watched him suck her taste off his fingers and lips before grinning down at her.

“What’s wrong? Still not enough? You _are_ a greedy girl, aren’t you?” He chuckled at her blush, shifting beneath her to get more comfortable and inadvertently rubbing against her in a way that sent a jolt of liquid heat up her spine. Her attempts at saying his name came out more like wordless moans, arching her back to press against him even as he crooned, his eyes half-closed in pleasure. It hardly took more coaxing than that.

“So that’s it, is it? Can’t get enough, you want to mark me there too?” Adrien recovered quickly, panting as he worked to get her straddling his hips and then pressed against her. “Is that it? Cover me so everyone knows whose nest you were in?” He gripped her hips and pushed, rocking hard against her until she was shivering again. She could barely see through the fog, her head full of her own scent and his, his purr keeping her relaxed even as every flex dragged his growing erection against her folds through her panties. A part of her wanted to bite his shoulder to hang on, but she grit her teeth, her nails digging into his back.

“It’s hot….” Her voice didn’t even sound like her own, but he purred louder, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead even as he rubbed his length against her. It _had_ to be getting bigger. With every rock of his hips it felt like it was harder, thicker, and she almost lost her head with just the thought of him pushing her panties aside and thrusting. For a moment all she could imagine was Adrien mounting her on her living room floor, right in the middle of her apartment, the memory of his teeth brushing her throat sending her thoughts down a spiral of his lips wrapping around the softest part of the junction between her throat and shoulder while he bit down hard enough for her to see stars.

The vividness of it had her baring her teeth, her knees trying to grip his sides, while Adrien swore at how she dug in hard, raking his back hard enough to leave marks as she came again. Head bowed, panting heavily, Marinette felt like she was burning. She needed it, the feel of his mouth on her, his teeth at her throat, holding her, pinning her to the soft blankets of his nest, showing everyone that she was his and that she’d called him her own. That he was all hers and no one else would hold him, his words and kisses were only for her. 

So lost in her own head, she didn’t hear him calling her name. Having gently let go of her legs, he was stroking his knuckles over her cheek and leaving kisses at the corner of her mouth. With a worried chirp, he nuzzled her, lovingly petting her hair and her thigh until her gaze focused on his face.

“Adrien…” She purred, reaching up to cradle his face in her hand, and he didn’t even have time to ask how she was feeling before she kissed him. His lips tasted like her, and she sucked hard enough at his lower lip that it was his turn to whine needily, and it felt amazing. To see the teasing look on his face go soft, his panting loud in her ears as she nipped him, baring her teeth at him just to see him shiver with need.

“Adrien, are you mine?” Her words brought out the blush on his cheeks, his arms tightening around her as he melted into her hands. “Are you all mine?”

She was pulling him in, his lips parting in a silent demand for more kisses, and the trilling hum rose in her throat as she gave them to him. When they broke apart for air, her fingers combed through his hair, grazing his scalp with her nails until he shuddered in pleasure, his head falling back to bare his throat for her. Licking her lips, she bowed her head, and she could almost feel the sizzle of heat rising from his flesh as her tongue dipped into the hollow of his throat. He tasted like warm sunshine, summer wrapped up in everything that was good and sweet, and by the time her tongue flicked across the underside of his chin he was trembling against her.

“Do you want me to keep you all to myself?” She nuzzled against his throat, watching his face as his purr stuttered with his shivers. “And we’ll lie here all day in your nest.”

“Please, please.” His eyes had fallen shut as she coaxed him to speak with more kisses, lingering around the hot thud of his heartbeat under his skin, her fingers dancing along the solid planes of his shoulder to find just the right place for her to sink her teeth into. “I...I want to, I’d be such a good father, Mari. At least three, please I’ve always wanted a big family. I’d show them the best way to build nests and we’d spend all day together, I’d get you the best fabrics, _please_ Marinette.” He was filling her head with his scent, so strong she could taste it as she buried her face against him and he held her close, trembling all over. Yet just when she was licking her lips, baring her teeth for a bite was when he twisted in her grip, flipping her onto her back and winding her as she found herself pinned to the blankets beneath them.

His hands found her knees, nearly folding her in half as he pressed them to her shoulders long enough to grab her panties and yank them off with a barely restrained snarl. For a moment she felt a flicker of alarm, then he was kissing the inside of her thigh, nipping the pale flesh as if he was readying to sink his teeth into her.

“May I taste you?” He purred against her, and her hands tangled in his hair, pushing his hair back from his face as she let out a _please_ that was almost a sigh. The way he lifted her hips high made her squirm, but feeling him purr as his tongue found her weak spots almost had her fainting. Adrien’s hair tickled, teasing her thighs even as he seemed determined to lick her clean, taking care with his fangs yet sucking hard enough to make her whine when he latched onto her clit, purring so deeply she nearly tried to knock her knees together. The only thing that saved Adrien from ringing ears was how tight he held her, and Marinette found herself yanking one of the pillows out of the nest and screaming into it when she came. Yet by the second and third time all she could do was moan helplessly, trying to pull her legs free but Adrien seemed drunk on her taste.

“Adrien please, it **hurts**.” More of a hapless whine than anything, she was too overstimulated to do more than moan, yet he pulled back, gasping for air and shaking his head to clear it.

“I’m...I’m sorry, it just…” Panting heavily, he swiped his thumb across his sticky lips, licking her nectar from his skin before sinking onto the blankets beside her. When she reached for him, he was quick to lean in, pressing his heated skin against her own as he relaxed into her embrace.

“It’s fine.” Her words seemed to have an instant effect on Adrien, a soft, dazzling smile spreading across his face as his eyelids began to droop and he sagged against her. As he sank into her arms, his purr droned lazily when she carded her fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp. He was so warm, the purr so comforting and familiar, it didn’t take long at all before she was curled up beside him, cradling him protectively against her as her gentle hum rose unbidden in answer to his purr even as she buried her face in his hair and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Warmed by his lady’s soothing voice, it was the fingers in his hair that had him lulled him into slumber, stroking him right behind where his cat ears should be and sending the most soothing shivers down his spine as his lovely mate hummed in bliss. The trilling notes sated the fires in his skin, and he found himself wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder, stroking his lady’s side. His lovely, sweet mate, her taste still fresh on his lips and her scent filling his lungs as he slipped into the comforting darkness of slumber.

When Adrien woke he wasn’t sure what time it was, stretching languidly until his limbs burned and he relaxed again, sinking back into the blankets with a pleased purr. Raking his hands through his hair, a small smile spread across his face as he slowly roused himself. Everything tingled, the pleasant sort of tingly feeling that came with feeling a ripple down his spine when he was Chat Noir. Running his hands over his bare skin just made him feel warmer, the delicious tingling more intense, his palm stroking his own bare chest waking his purr. 

It wasn’t long before he brushed his thumb over his nipples, eventually giving one a playful pinch just to feel an answering twitch in his loins as he was almost overwhelmed with how good it felt. Much better than normal, and the urge to explore was one he had little reason to ignore. His palms flattened against his stomach, drifting lower no matter how his belly fluttered, and his purr deepened even more as he ran his hands over his hardening cock.

Normally he didn’t feel comfortable enough to indulge himself in the mornings while he was still in bed, yet today he felt amazing. Something was different, every touch so much more intense, and his skin felt tight all over, yet not in a bad way. He felt like he was ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, purring noisily as he planted his heels and rocked towards his hands. Odd, even his erection felt harder, his fingers teasing it through his boxer briefs, using both hands to cup his balls through the straining fabric. He felt full and tight, lifting his fingers to his lips to lick them, not wanting to bother digging for lube when he felt so lazy.

Odd, his fingers tasted like…

_Marinette_. Sweat prickled along his hairline as his gaze snapped to the warm body at his side as he found himself suddenly hyper aware of her existence. Her oversized sweater was only doing so much to keep her decent as she shifted in the bundle of blankets beside him, though he could see her thighs were slick again. If he’d thought he’d been hard before he’d noticed her, his erection was just shy of painful now, straining against its confines as his whole body shivered with want. Sweet, lovely Marinette who made a quiet little sleepy noise that sounded suspiciously like his name as she rolled over, cuddling up to a pillow. A hot shiver ran down his spine, his cock twitching uncomfortably.

He probably wouldn’t be so upset if he didn’t remember what he’d said to her. Whatever happened to romancing the love of his life and proper courtship rituals before he offered to be her mate? What on earth had come over him? Well, at least _one_ person had come all over him earlier, and she was sleeping so hard he was sure he could use Cataclysm right next to her and she wouldn’t notice a thing. He felt like he should be more bothered by this, and yet all he was really worried about was Marinette. With a little bit of effort, he rose to his feet, pausing only to nuzzle his mate when she fussed at the loss of his warmth, tucking her in with their new quilt before padding down the hall to fetch a few things.

“What’s got you up and ready to go so soon, kid?” Plagg sniffed, pointedly glancing down before giving Adrien a glare like it was somehow his Chosen’s fault that he was like this. Adrien rolled his eyes, stopping in the bathroom long enough to sweep a brush through his hair before wrapping it up and pinning it in place so he could get to work on his minor construction project.

“I feel restless, but in a good way. It’s like I’m warm and tingly all over and I want to lay in bed and just...well, I want to relax, but I also want to do stuff. Does that make sense?” He glanced at Plagg, frowning a little in thought. Hopefully his kwami would choose to be helpful instead of vague and annoying. Why couldn’t he get to talk to Ladybug’s kwami more often instead? At least she _tried_ to help out except when it went against whatever rules the kwami had to obey with divulging information to their wielders. Plagg, of course, was Plagg, and therefore a royal pain.

“It’s the post-coital rush, kid. You’re going to get those from time to time. A lot of omegas get them and use them to finish the deed, if you get me.” He gave a pointed glance at the nest, and what little could be seen of Marinette from beneath the blanket. Adrien bared his fangs, defensively bristling at the way Plagg talked about her. The kwami seemed thoroughly unimpressed. “From here on out, your body’s got one plan and it’s gonna try to stick to that plan whether or not the head on your shoulders feels like joining the party. So to put it plainly, until the heat’s over, things are gonna get pretty messy for you, kid. I suggest you pack a mop.”

“You’re kidding.” He scowled, rather unimpressed with the kwami’s casual explanation, but the cat spirit simply shook his head, green eyes glowing ominously in the shadows of the hall as Adrien pulled out the packages Nino had stashed for him.

“If you don’t believe me now, you will soon enough. Oh, about the time your little distressed damsel starts waking up and acting as excited to see you as she usually does.” Plagg phased through one of the bags, retrieving a wedge of camembert and shoving it in his face.

“ _Plagg!_ ” Adrien was mortified, hastily glancing over his shoulder to see if he’d accidentally woken Marinette, but she slept on, though the quiet little noises she made certainly had their effect on _him_. He cleared his throat and shifting his weight, sorting out the materials he needed for what he had planned with the hopes of finishing it before she woke.

“Kid, I can’t even begin to explain the problem here. You have pretty decent senses of hearing and smell when you’re like this, and even better when you’re Chat Noir. Me? I have to live with way sharper senses _all the time_ , and I cannot believe you never noticed how bad that girl had it for you until you decided to nearly make the deal permanent before your little nap.” His face was set in a fierce scowl, leaving Adrien feeling flushed-faced and flustered in more ways than one.

“You don’t have to say it like _that_.” He felt the pout starting and tried to school his face into something more respectable, though it got harder once he thought of Ladybug. “Ladybug! Oh man, Plagg! I almost marked Marinette earlier!”

“And?” Plagg only scowled harder, his whiskers and tail twitching in irritation as if failing to see what Adrien was so worked up about.

“What will happen to Ladybug?” He could not believe that Plagg didn’t seem to care about the connotations behind this, choosing simply to yawn noisily and lick his furry little lips. Adrien resisted the urge to snatch him out of the air and shake him.

“What do you think, kid? Take a moment, and think really, _really_ hard. Are you stressed out about Ladybug when you’re with Mademoiselle Cupcakes in the other room?”

“Well, no, but—” Adrien sputtered, but Plagg plowed on, ignoring the way his Chosen blustered.

“Are you freaking out over your bedbug back there when you’re with Ladybug?” It was more than a little alarming with how Plagg crowded him, leaving him almost nose-to-nose with the rank smelling beast.

“Well, _no_ —”

“Then why are you freaking out about it _now_ , kid? You can’t stand any other alphas aside from those two ladies, yet you’re acting like it’s the end of the world. Have you stopped to consider _why_ it doesn’t bother you when you’re with one or the other?” Plagg glared at him harder then ever, staring at him as Adrien went quiet, looking down at the wall hooks in his hands as his brain tried to work through the pleasant hazy feeling that was trying to convince him that there was nothing to get worked up over and he should go back to bed.

“Well, I’m just really comfortable with Marinette, right? I mean, she’s the only unbonded alpha I’ve known for so long aside from Ladybug, so it just makes sense, I guess.” Yet that didn’t seem to be the answer Plagg was hoping for, as he could practically _feel_ the annoyed disappointment radiating off the cat sprite as Plagg’s expression soured.

“Kid, I can’t even deal with this anymore. That’s it, if you got questions, you’re on your own. Go ask Tikki or one of your family members. You’re killing me! If you need me for _anything else_ that isn’t your weird mating habits, you know how to find me.” Throwing his tiny paws in the air, Plagg shot out of the room, leaving Adrien with way more questions than answers, and far more confused than he’d been a moment ago. Nose wrinkling, he frowned as he stared down the hall after Plagg. What on earth had his kwami been trying to tell him?

A warm scent filled the air and Adrien purred, his eyes falling shut as he rocked his hips forward. Idly, one hand brushed over his stomach, but he caught himself before he could get distracted again. As much as he wanted to just lay down next to Marinette and cuddle, he did have a few improvements he wanted to make on the nest before she woke up. If he remembered right, she always did love a good surprise as long as it wasn’t a scary one. 

So with Plagg’s little mystery put to the side to think on later, Adrien got to work, casting a longing glance at the sleeping girl in his nest. Something about the way she nuzzled into the pillows looked so inviting, and that new quilt still didn’t smell quite right, so they’d have to rub their faces on it a bit more. It just looked so much more cozy with her there, and if he was in there with her, then she wouldn’t have to struggle so much to find a warm spot, or hide her face in his day-old shirts just to catch a fresh whiff of his scent. She must be so lonely in that huge nest by herself.

Soon, he promised himself. Just as soon as he was done with these last few things, then he’d curl up beside her and they could nap the day away if she wanted. Or better yet, maybe they could cuddle a little and have all sorts of fun first. His lips peeled back from his fangs as his purr rose, gaze hooded as he perched on the back of the couch to reach higher on the wall. Yes, he could think of all _sorts_ of fun things they could do together, just him and _his_ Marinette.


	7. Flame and Frost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when things seem to be going Adrien's way as he's enjoying his time with his lovely lady, he gets a phone call that threatens to spoil his blissful haze...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and good timezone, starshines~! Life caught me by the ankles and dragged me off for a few days but I have returned victorious with yet another chapter of hijinks for you! As always the ever lovely and fantastic MiniMinou and LaterDays have taken it out back and whacked it a few times with a baseball bat to work it into shape, and a shout to HariWrites for giving it a read through in its earliest phases! They made sure my voices for our favorite terrible parent duo were on-point and headed in the right direction!
> 
> Also if this seems a little shorter than usual, well...oh ho ho you guys are gonna be in for a _very_ wild ride next chapter. But that's for then and this is for now.
> 
> So for now sit tight and fasten your seats, for what's this about _Gabriel Agreste_ rising from the shadows? Will our heroes ever be able to enjoy themselves in peace? Will Adrien get his way for once? Stay tuned to find out and as always, please enjoy~!

Every time she woke up it was getting harder to want to stay awake, the blankets just so comfortable and soft. Humming happily, she ran her hand over the soft pillow under her cheek.

Yep, definitely a pillow and not a devastatingly attractive blonde this time.

Why that realization disappointed her instead of causing relief, she wasn’t sure. Normally it would have sent her into a flustered panic to find him in bed with her, but that twinge in the pit of her stomach was definitely disappointment. It grew even worse when her hand patted the bedding near her and found that not only was he _not_ immediately within reach, but the bedding was _cold_. An anxious whine built in her, the uncomfortable itch between her thighs now as unbearable as the sudden pang just behind her sternum.

“Adrien?” She sat up, shoving the horrible wave of distress down where it couldn’t choke her as she whipped around, frantically scenting the room. For a horrible moment she couldn’t find him in the dim lighting, reeling as if her whole world was being turned upside down. Only when she saw him standing by the windows did she slump in relief, sagging against the wall of his nest as she drank in the sight of him. 

The light from the windows filtered through layers of sheer, gauzy fabrics in shades of pink. More fairy lights carefully wound through them, making Adrien seem all the more ethereal as he stretched as he rubbed his shoulder like he’d just finished a morning workout. Glancing over his shoulder, he smiled at her, and she felt a rush of warmth go through her just from the look in his eyes alone.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I wanted to finish before you woke up. Do you like it?” He chirruped softly as he looked over the drapes again. Now that she wasn’t coming apart at the seams from her fright, she could properly appreciate what he’d done. It wasn’t just the windows, somehow he’d managed to hang the soft fabrics from most of the walls, and tucked candles and flowers on the flat surfaces still left uncovered. Somehow, in less than a day, he’d completely turned her and Alya’s living room into something out of a romance novel, and she had to press both her hands to her mouth to keep from crying in the sudden rush of emotions. She was nervous and excited, delight making her dizzy, yet it all seemed too good to be true. She fanned her face to get herself back under control, and when she looked back to him she found him kneeling by the edge of the nest, smiling hopefully.

Her beautiful, amazing Adrien. So close to perfect it hurt, and she had no idea what she’d done to deserve it.

“It’s so pretty, I love it so much. Thank you, Adrien.” Her eyes burned as she felt them get misty, but he was rubbing his forehead against hers and purring obnoxiously loud until he’d dragged her giggles out of her. After that it wasn’t long at all before he had her in his arms and was noisily nibbling her throat, her laughter loud as she tried to push him off even if she didn’t really want to make him stop. Just laying in his arms would have been enough, yet the itch under her skin was craving more of his touch, and she found herself wanting to shed the rest of her clothes in spite of the chill in the air. Besides, a tiny voice at the back of her mind seemed more than happy to point out that if she was bundled up next to Adrien in the blankets, she wouldn’t feel cold at all.

It was a little suspicious how much that voice sounded like perfectly reasonable logic when Adrien’s purr tickled her skin as he pressed another kiss to her throat. The thought grew as she felt herself sagging when his tongue flicked across her clavicle, his teeth catching on her throat. All at once her body was burning, the ache returning with a vengeance just from the faintest tease of his teeth against her skin. Need left an awful throbbing in her, squirming restlessly in his grip as her thighs tingled. For a moment she wanted to cover her face and hide how hard she was blushing, yet she couldn’t when he was dragging his tongue and lips along her throat from collar to chin, nibbling along her jaw.

_More._

If she actually said it out loud or not, she wasn’t sure, but Adrien obliged her anyway. Lost in a blissful heat that wiped her head clean of any thoughts that weren’t his mouth against her or the way his hand was gliding up the inside of her slicked thigh, nudging her knees apart and soothing the horrible burn of longing. _More, please!_ Her trilling hum was louder than her pounding heart or the way she was panting for air, his fingers _so close_ to where she needed him, his lips peeling back to bare his fangs as his heady growl sent the most wonderful shiver through her. 

Only for his phone to ring, startling them both from their trances.

For a moment they froze, Adrien clutching her tighter and his growl turned fierce and angry, while Marinette’s eyes went wide as she glanced towards the coffee table. The phone continued to ring, and finally cut through the warm haze muddying her thoughts. 

This was one of his special ringtones. Which meant it was important. 

They tore their gaze away from the phone, glancing at each other, and Adrien made a strangled sound before lowering her to the pillows and planting a finger against her lips.

“ _Stay._ ” 

The growl had her breath catching and she nodded, panting as her fingers tangled in her sweater. Funny how one word could get her right where she felt it most, rubbing her thighs together to try and stave off the emptiness and the awful sense of _loss_ now that she had to watch her Adrien walk away. He was grumbling and growling under his breath, snatching the phone off the table without bothering to glance at the screen, his spine and shoulders tight with tension as he tossed his hair over his shoulder, one hand planted on his hip as his fingers dug in.

“ _Yes?_ ” It wasn’t quite a snarl, but Adrien’s posture immediately shifted. The annoyance turned to open anger, and he began to prowl, his expression darkening as his hand tensed and flexed. If it had been Chat he’d have had his ears flat, tail lashing, and if he hadn’t told her to stay, she’d have been at his side in an instant. Instead, she motioned for him to join her, waving both hands as if trying to pull him closer. For a moment he froze, his eyes widening before something the other person said only made him cross again, and he stalked to the nest before he sank into it next to her.

“No, I didn’t forget about the photoshoot, but you’re going to have to cancel it.” 

As he lowered himself to lay across her lap, she could feel him shaking all over. All at once she held him close, stroking down his spine and teasing his hair until the trembling eased off. 

“Yes, Nathalie, it’s not that I don’t want to do it, it’s that I _can’t_ do it. No, even if you put him on the phone it’s not going to change the answer. I’m fine, I’m just not in any condition to stand around in a room full of strangers for half a day right now.” 

Slowly the scowl was smoothing out as she pet him, massassing his scalp until she could feel the faintest rumble of his purr. Closing his eyes, Adrien sighed, his shoulders relaxing as he let Marinette cradle him even closer.

“Yes, it started early. I’m fine, my friends made sure I’d be safe and I’ve talked to all of my professors so I can do my coursework from home. No, I’m _not_ coming back to the mansion to sit in that blasted dungeon he calls a heat room. Absolutely not! Nathalie, I’m pretty sure I can handle this by myself. Thank you, but no.” He made a noncommittal humming sound at something Nathalie said, but his brows only furrowed again.

“No, I’m not going to talk to him about it. You can tell him yourself. Thanks for the well wishes, Nathalie, but I’ve got to go. Mmm.” His lips twisted as he nodded, his gaze hooded and dark with his mounting irritation. “Goodbye, Nathalie.” He pulled the phone away from his ear, and Marinette was fairly sure he hung up on his father’s secretary while she was still trying to talk to him. Eyeing the phone in his hand like it was going to grow fangs and bite them both, she nuzzled his hair while continuing to pet him, feeling him shift towards her.

“Your father’s going to come and get you, isn’t he?” Why that thought upset her more than usual, she didn’t know. Usually she’d just feel mildly disappointed, but the idea of Gabriel Agreste showing up at her door to take Adrien away was devastating, her grip tightening instinctively.

“Père can get fucked if he thinks he’s locking me in the basement.” Adrien snarled, leaving Marinette gaping at the sudden venom in his voice.

“ _Adrien!_ ” Her gasp at his language and tone of voice brought a flush to his cheeks, and he grumbled unhappily in spite of the hand rubbing his scalp in all the right places.

“It’s just...He thinks he can still walk in and do whatever he likes with my life, Marinette. I couldn’t help it, I just got _so angry_ about the idea of being dragged away when I’m fine here. I’m happy. He’s been looking for an excuse to drag me back ever since I moved out in the first place.” He sighed, and Marinette pressed a kiss to the top of his head when he hugged her close, burying his face in her stomach.

“I’ll kick his butt if you want?” Marinette grinned, teasing his bangs and earning a soft chuckle that left her warm all over.

“You know, I think I’d love to see that.” He purred, and the boyish smile that spread across his face was enough to make her giddy. That was the face she wanted to see all the time, brushing his hair out of his eyes enough that she actually saw the mischief in his gaze when he looked up at her again.

“Now, where was I?” And the gleam of his fangs was the only warning he gave her before he lunged, pinning her to the pillows as she let out a delighted shriek.

* * *

Nathalie glanced at the phone, not entirely surprised at the abrupt end to the call. The churlish attitude was quite uncharacteristic for Adrien, even when he was at his most frustrated with his father’s standoffish manner. The young man had always made a point of being polite and kind, though she refrained from using the word ‘sweet’ even though it undoubtedly applied to Adrien. 

Still, it only made the fact of the matter all the more apparent that his heat had in fact set in and the photoshoot was out of the question. Already her fingers flew across the tablet in front of her, adjusting the schedule and setting up phone calls to push the shoot back to a more suitable time frame. True, it would take a bit of juggling, but it would not be the first time she’d had to rearrange an entire month at a moment’s notice. If she’d been one to indulge in pride, it would have been in her ability to keep the company running as smoothly as possible even with her superior’s penchant for throwing the city into turmoil.

A prickle of something akin to nervousness went down her spine as her fingers slowed, hovering over the tablet. Adrien didn’t want to come home and insisted he was well taken care of, but if Gabriel wished for him to return to the mansion, then it was her job to see it done. Still, even after all this time, she found herself wondering if she was only enabling Gabriel. 

No. 

Sitting back, her gaze downcast, she _knew_ she was. All these years of encouraging him in spite of her better judgement simply because…

No, it was best not to dwell on it. He’d been bonded long before she’d realized her own feelings, and there was no one on this earth who would ever be able to replace the lady Emilie as his mate. Certainly not his beta assistant no matter how she bent the world to his whim. Lifting a handkerchief to her lips she coughed, chest aching as the fit wracked her and left a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Another minor setback, though as self-inflicted as many of the rest. Her eagerness to aid and please her boss had her making many, many poor choices for lack of better sense over the years. As if drawn by her thoughts, her gaze flickered to the nearby case and the brooch within for only a moment, her face pinching.

At the time, it had seemed like the best and only choice. Like so many others. Yet as always, she had no time for regrets or idle reflections, not bothering to spare a glance at her kerchief before throwing it in the waste bin and gathering up her things. Instead, she steeled herself, ever impeccable as she crossed the mansion to Gabriel’s office and let herself in.

“Sir, I spoke with Adrien this morning.” Her voice was surprisingly steady, which was a relief considering he was not going to take this news well.

“I take it you reminded him of his photoshoot that he should be getting ready for? He’s a bit old to be wasting time like this.” The glare was icy, but it slid off her as she cast a cursory glance at her tablet.

“I had to reschedule, sir. Adrien isn’t able to make the shoot. I already spoke with the photographers, they’ve moved it back to a week and a half from now, which should give him plenty of time to recover.” That had his attention, his hands going still over his monitor’s touchscreen display as he turned the full weight of his gaze on her. For a moment, her grip on her tablet tensed, though she forced herself to stay calm and relaxed. The moment he’d be able to scent her anxiety would likely cause more trouble than she was entirely prepared to handle.

“He’s sick? He said nothing of this.” There was a dangerous edge to Gabriel’s voice now, and Nathalie secretly prayed he’d taken his hormone suppressors already that day.

“Not exactly, sir. He said his heat began ahead of the projected schedule his physician gave us. From the time frame it may have been triggered in response to the akuma attack.” A damning statement, but something the physician had warned them of. Over the years since they’d begun hunting for the Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous, many Parisians had found their heats and ruts triggered early out of an instinctive survival reflex, and they’d been warned for years that it may happen with Adrien. Once he’d finally begun showing signs of possibly presenting, it had simply been a matter of time. Just one akuma spawned too close by would have been enough of an adrenaline spike to trigger him, whether he actually encountered the akuma or not. Unfortunately it seemed to be the case in this instance.

“See that he comes home, I want him here in the mansion where I know he’ll be safe at all times. I don’t care what sort of tantrum he throws, he is overly emotional from the start, and the heat will only make him more so.” As if that were the end of it, Gabriel turned back to his monitors, the faintest line in between his brows. 

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she tucked her tablet close to her side.

“He insists he’s fine where he is, sir. From the sounds of things, I am not entirely certain it would be wise to relocate him now.” The nape of her neck prickled as Gabriel’s upper lip twitched, light catching on his fangs for the briefest of moments.

“Of course he does, he’s in heat and too young to be on his own without someone to watch him. I’ll not have my only son _loose_ in this city when he’s in heat where any self-entitled alpha can take advantage of him when he’s half senseless from the delirium. No, he’s coming home where I can keep an eye on him, and he’s coming back _today_. See that it happens, Nathalie.” 

There was a fire in his voice that had her shoes rooted to the floor, her palms going clammy as she found herself bowing her head in silent submission before she realized she was doing it.

“Of course, sir. I’ll go get the car ready and make the preparations for the heat room to be ready for his arrival.” Then she was in the hall and sending messages to the rest of the staff, a cold weight settling into her stomach and making her feel ill. Lifting a hand to her face, she coughed into her fist, feeling the sweat bead on her forehead. 

So many choices, and like so many before, Nathalie wasn’t certain if she was doing what was right. Yet what Gabriel Agreste wished, his will was her command, the sound of her heels striking the marble tiles echoing loud in her ears. Sparing her hand only a passing glance as she lowered it, she set her shoulders, tablet tucked to her side and her hand clenching into a fist behind her.

Now if only the rest of the day would go smoothly. A nagging feeling told her it wouldn’t, as she had the distinct impression that in spite of Gabriel’s conviction, all hell would break loose the moment they attempted to go collect his son. Adrien was, if nothing, a wild card, and Nathalie was not looking forward to seeing what would happen when he was upset at his own plans being ruined. As if he was anything like his father in spite of everything, he would be one of the most dangerous unbonded omegas in the city, and far worse if he’d already found an alpha of his own.

A cold shudder ran down her frame at the memory of the day the Peacock Miraculous claimed Emilie as its own, and the devastation that had followed before Gabriel began taking his suppressants. 

One thing at a time.


	8. Slippery Situations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his father's threats to bring him home souring their good mood, Adrien finds himself grateful for Marinette's love and support. Yet the seeds of doubt begin to flourish in his mind, leaving a growing anxiety to plague even the warm haze left by Marinette's loving embrace. Will her words be enough to fight off the rising gloom, or will outside forces work to drive a wedge between their developing bond?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? A wild ZiriO? GASP AND AMAZE! Never fear, for I am in fact here after a long time away! And once more with the aid of the ever-lovely MiniMinou, I bring you the latest in the tales of hijinks and shenanigans of our favorite oblivious duo! It's been some time since our last episode, and there's most definitely more hijinks! Fluff! Even _more_ sin! _Chatdrien shenanigans_. It'll be great! I do believe I mentioned from here on out the plot and the sin both pick up speed, so prepare yourselves! Also this is when the A/B/O influences will really start to show, so fair warning that we're starting our swift descent down the kinkslide! Non-spoiler content warnings are as follows~
> 
> **Sin content:** Frottage, oral, non-penetrative shower hijinks, handsy Chat, **also this chapter contains a lot of talk about working through self-doubt and anxieties**.
> 
> So without further ado my starshines, please sit back, relax, and enjoy! Will Adrien accidentally out himself to his lady? Will they _ever_ be able to clean his mess up? Will Gabriel Agreste _actually_ come in to ruin their bonding time just when things start to get REALLY spicy? ~~Will the readers hate me after this cliffhanger and come for me with tar and pitchforks?!?~~ Stay tuned to find out, and we'll see you next time! ♥

After he’d spent the morning working off the last vestiges of his skin-crawling disgust at the idea of having to go back to the family mansion, Adrien laid back in the nest, chuckling softly at Marinette’s whining. 

Who knew that the key to victory in fighting games had been to completely exhaust her beforehand? 

Licking his lips as he watched her groan and slide further down her pile of pillows, he found he could still taste the faintest traces of her on his skin. Her creamy thighs were still glistening, and he had to wonder if it was because he’d somehow missed a spot or simply because she was slowly getting worked up again. The feeling that he could leave her squirming and flustered just by being near her left him feeling smug and pleased with himself. Especially when it was so easy to lean over and press more kisses to her shoulder and leave her shivering at his touch.

“Well if it’s so hard to focus, we could always take a break from the games.” He grinned, wagging his eyebrows until she pushed his face away while he chuckled at her. So feisty! It made him purr even harder, a delicious ripple of tension going through him, leaving him itching to toss aside the controller even more.

“Adrien, we were at it _all day_ , I barely got you to eat anything.” She rolled her eyes and blew her bangs out of her face. Her hair was a mess after he’d finished with her earlier and she hadn’t bothered to fix it.

“Oh, I don’t know about that, I ate like a _king_.” He grinned as he planted a hand over his heart, and Marinette let out a horrified screech as her skin flushed red.

“ _ADRIEN!_ Oh my God!” Her controller was abandoned as she used both hands to grab the nearest pillow and start beating him with it, which only made him laugh all the more. It was so easy to scoop her into his arms, where she had to either risk him latching his mouth onto her exposed skin so she could keep hitting him or shove her hands in his face to stop him. It turned into an all-out wrestling match, his playful growls and snapping teeth met with her adorable kittenish sounds that only made him laugh harder. For a moment he’d even thought he had her pinned, his hands clasped tight around her wrists and ready to grind himself against her sweet liquid heat, but she hooked her legs around his hips and threw him aside like he weighed nothing.

Suddenly feeling the room tilt like that and finding himself staring up at this wild-haired goddess above him and the ceiling behind her most certainly got his attention. Her broad grin of victory had him rubbing his back against the floor beneath him, her gleaming fangs leaving him short of breath as her fingers trailed over his chest.

“Bad chaton!” She growled, and his hips lurched towards hers, aching to rub against her as his purr deepened. Yes, yes he was, always his lady’s naughty kitty. His hands gliding over her powerful thighs and kneading the muscles, begging for her to let him touch more.

“Please, may I?” He purred, baring his throat and his fangs for her as he arched his spine, rolling his hips up to meet hers. “I’ll be good, please, I _purr_ -omise!” Closing his eyes as her fingers raked through his hair, he leaned towards her hands, wanting to nuzzle and nip her palms, desperate to touch his tongue to the inside of her wrists and nibble at her fingertips. When her thumb stroked his lips he shivered beneath her, too lost in her touch and scent to be embarrassed by the wet heat spreading across his belly.

“Such a messy, naughty boy.” She trilled, his body aching for more and he almost sobbed when he felt her settle atop him, grinding down against his aching length. “Do I have to make you learn your manners?”

“Y-yes, my queen,” he whined, but she didn’t stop him when he flexed his hips to meet hers. His lady was so good to him, allowing him this, her wet heat soaking the flimsy fabric that separated them. He should rip it away, beg her to let him mount her, but she rocked back and his thoughts shattered, digging into her thighs as he bared his fangs for her. 

Her croon of pleasure and the sweet flood of her scent was his reward, and she leaned forward, planting her hands on his chest and ground down. So wet she was slipping, and he had to grip her hips, pinning her hard against him as he dug in his heels and began to thrust against her. His lady was close, he could feel it in the way her blunted claws dug into him, the way her trills grew louder, almost keening, shivering in his grip. So close, and he wouldn’t stop until she was satisfied even if it meant using his mouth where the rest of him failed.

His lady deserved nothing but the best of him, his lips peeling back with a howl that was building from deep within him. Tossing his head, he bared his throat for her, chest working as the heat burned him, claws biting deep in his mate’s flesh as his body seized and he clutched her close, bucking against her as he finished. 

When he shook off the fog she was still rocking against him, and he dragged her closer, not caring if he’d smeared his own mess across both of them, his fangs rasping across her bare thighs as her fingers clutched at his hair. His scent painted her thighs and folds, leaving him half-mad with delight as he dove in, plunging his tongue as deep inside her as he could. Her taste was only better with the faint flavor left by his own release, and he purred long and hard, feeling her unravel in his grip the moment the bass rumble left him. Sucking at her folds as she shuddered above him, he lapped up her nectar as hungrily as he had that morning. The tiny whimpers she made when he flicked his tongue across her clit and folds brought a wicked smile to his face, but he left her with a parting kiss to her trembling thighs. Even as he helped lower her to the blankets next to him, she shivered in his grip, pulling herself close against his side.

“Adrien…” Her voice sounded weak and distant, but she managed to lift a hand, fingering his hair as they lay curled against one another. He purred for her, panting hard, his fingers slipping in the mess that coated his stomach and smearing it across his bare skin.His lady had made the biggest mess out him, her own juices mixed with his until he smelled like both of them. Painting him in their scents in a way that made him shiver in pleasure. She hadn’t marked him with her fangs yet, but it was knowing his lovely lady had claimed him was what mattered, and he almost couldn’t hold still. Writhing at her touch, he purred even louder, wanting her to hold him so he could nuzzle her and taste more of her.

“Adrien, you need a bath.” She sounded so tired, but she was giving him one of her no-nonsense looks that meant he wasn’t allowed to argue. Another hot shiver worked through him and his cock twitched, and his nose wrinkled when he realized he was still wearing his underwear and they were sticky in the worst way. 

_Right,_ that.

“I think you might be right...I need a towel.” He winced, but she just chuckled and stroked his hair.

“I think you’ll need more than one, I’ll be right back, okay?” She pressed a kiss to his forehead, and he purred louder, feeling another shiver work through him at the brush of her lips before she left their nest. Heat pooled in his belly, and his hips flexed, and he was torn between wanting to be clean and simply rubbing himself against her. Or making sure to mark their nest. No, in hindsight that sounded awful. Aside from rubbing against her of course, since he’d be happy to do that all day.

Lost to those pleasant thoughts, he was almost startled when a warm, wet cloth mopped his sweat-soaked face before trying to clean up his chest and stomach. He hadn’t realized how bad it was until his lady wrinkled her nose and had to swap cloths for another clean rag. Purring when she wiped up his lower belly, she let out a soft, almost irritated sigh when he came again with a low whimper. _That_ was embarrassing, and she just shook her head as she had to clean her hand off as well.

“Come on, let’s get you and your hot mess to the tub.” She smiled, offering him her hand to help him to his feet. “Or do I need to give you a towel so you don’t leave a trail behind you now?” While she grinned playfully, Adrien couldn’t help but feel even more embarrassed, color pinking his cheeks as he snatched one of the rags from her and clapped it over his still straining erection like it had personally offended him.

“Let’s...just not take our chances.” He had to swallow hard around a lump in his throat, and would be the first to admit that he was amazed he made it to the bathroom on his own two feet, considering he was quick to learn that just the smell of his lady or a brief glimpse of her smile was enough to leave him biting his lip and bucking towards his hand. 

Maybe Plagg was right, a mop was starting to sound like a _very_ good idea.

* * *

“Adrien, hold still!” She squeaked and had to cover her face with her arms as he shook his head, grinning as he painted her, the shower curtain and half the wall tiles with shampoo suds. The sound of their laughter was loud in the bathroom, the smell of both their shampoos and soaps filling the room with the most delicious blend of scents.

“Never! I can’t be tamed save by a maiden of pure heart, which _obviously_ isn’t you.” He leaned over her, dripping on her as the water pounded against his back. “Because I’ve already corrupted you forever and ever.”

“You jerk! What did I ever see in you? And you got soap in my eyes.” Marinette pushed at him so she could stick her face under the spray, while he took that as an invitation to scrub her back. Her freckles dusted her shoulders and a lot more of her back and arms, but were too faint to get a good look at when he had water dripping in his eyes and she kept moving. Still, she did make cute faces when his hands ‘slipped’ while he was scrubbing, and she slumped back against him. Showers were so much better with her hands clinging to the back of his neck, her whole body rubbing back against him every time he kneaded her breasts. Her skin was soft, and she made adorable little mewling noises when he teased and tugged at her nipples.

Really, she’d had a great idea to have him get in the shower. The temptation to let his hands drift lower was surprisingly strong, urged on by the way her backside kept rubbing against him. With every little wriggle she sent him a little closer to the edge, his heart pounding as he huffed, another wash of heat going through him. A wonderful and painful sort of self-torture, grinding against her just to paint the floor of her tub with his precum, leaving him panting into her hair. 

For a moment as the heat left him lightheaded, he considered pushing her against the wall and mounting her right there, but he shook it off. No, his lovely mate deserved nothing short of sweet kisses, candlelight, and fresh roses as he worshiped her in their nest. His lips tingled at the thought of kissing every centimeter of freckled skin, of teasing her until she was wet and shivering for attention, and his purr was loud even to him as he teased the edge of her ear with his tongue.

She moaned his name as she stroked the back of his neck, her fingernails raking his scalp as her hand reached as high as she could. Such a wonderful tease, his lovely queen. With a final tug to her nipples and a promise to lavish them with as much attention as he could later, he ran his hands down her sides, settling them on her hips.

“Adrien….?” She peered up at him through her wet hair, and he kissed the top of her head, purring as he nuzzled the sodden mass. Marinette sounded so cute when she let out her happy little humming sound, but it was the startled gasp as his cock slid between her thighs that he really enjoyed. He could feel her shiver as he flexed, his full length sliding along her folds, leaving her trembling when he nudged her clit.

“You okay, Marinette?” He chirped, cocking his head even as he shifted his feet, panting softly as the way she kept squirming had her thighs squeezing him tight. Adrien hadn’t even begun moving and already he could feel his length throb, spilling precum down her thighs that was quickly washed away by the shower spray. Plagg couldn’t have been serious when he said it was going to be like this until they actually locked, could he? It was exhausting, but he’d have to learn to live with it if that was the case. Neither of them were ready for any kind of accidents that came with unplanned locking during a heat.

“Mm-hmmm.” She nodded, her lower lip caught between her teeth as he adjusted his grip.

“Hang on, then.” He purred, and knocked a gasp out of her with his first thrust. He couldn’t blame her, it felt amazing, her thighs wet and soft and the slap of skin on skin making his body tense. One of her hands tried to find purchase on the wall, but each thrust had her slipping, so in the end she ended up clinging tightly to him instead, her back arching as she reached up to grip his neck and shoulders. It gave him the perfect view of her flushed face and the way her breasts bounced with every thrust. Yet she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself as much as she should be, so one hand shifted, fingers sliding down her taut stomach to dip between her thighs and rub her clit. From the way she shuddered in his grasp, he knew he’d made the right choice, nipping at her ear as he grinned to himself.

Without anything to bury her face in to muffle her little cries, his sweet Marinette was struggling to keep her voice down. So thoughtful of the neighbors, yet that wasn’t what he wanted to hear. None of her stifled gasps or half-swallowed moans, his teeth and spine itching to hear her scream his name. 

To bite her just as she came, right as he pushed her over the edge and unravelled her. 

Even now as he rubbed her until her legs trembled and he was the one holding her up, she tipped her head, offering him her throat and it took everything in him not to simply accept that in one swift lunge. As her scent filled his head even though it was half washed out by the water, and with her gasps loud in his ears, it seemed like such a wonderful idea. Yet it wasn’t the right moment, not yet. He had to make it perfect, he only had one chance to give her this and it wasn’t going to be when he was helping himself to her in the tub.

Not that it stopped him from leaving her breathless and then nibbling at her neck just to feel her climax from his mouth alone. So sensitive, he could tease her all day long if she let him. His tongue flicked across her shoulder and he nibbled wherever seemed to make her squirm the most. Testing her to find the place that would please her. It wasn’t until the water began to run cold that he realized they should get dry, though he couldn’t help but use the shower head at _least_ once to leave her a gasping mess before they got out. Even if she was sulking when he began towelling her dry, with her perched on the edge of the tub while he stayed in it, in a desperate bid to make it less messy to clean up after him.

“Come on, you did like it, didn’t you?” He rubbed his cheek against her hair, breathing in her scent. He may have used his shampoo on her just so she’d smell more like him, though he’d done a fairly good job of rubbing himself all over her as it was.

“How about I spray _you_ with icy water down there and see how _you_ like it?” She glared, her pout only getting fiercer. Adrien thought about it for a moment, humming as he gazed at the ceiling, tapping his finger against his chin.

“Well, we could try it, you sounded like you were having a meow-velous time.” He grinned, not realizing his mistake until after she’d turned away, her nose scrunched in irritation. A _cat pun?_ He dragged a hand over his face, quick to distract himself with drying off his lady.

_Marinette_. Not his lady. What was he _thinking?_

Ugh, the heat was getting his head all mixed up, it was bad enough he was having the worst case of perma-boner, the last thing he needed was to blow his own cover because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Talk about a bad time for an identity crisis. At least she hadn’t commented on his inability to stop purring, that was another thing. 

It had been alarming enough at fourteen to discover that getting overly excited in the suit would get his purr going like he had a built-in motor, but now whenever she did anything that was even _remotely_ adorable, it was impossible to stop. Then on top of that he was hypersensitive and could orgasm at the slightest touch as long as it was Marinette. Or thinking about Marinette. Or _breathing the same air as Marinette._

He’d have moments of clarity between long bouts of heat-induced lust, which is usually when the embarrassment would kick in and leave him questioning his life choices. The lucid moments usually being right after he’d exhausted both of them because he couldn’t keep his paws to himself. Why Marinette hadn’t just slugged him and tossed him across the apartment for being an oversexed tomcat he hadn’t a clue, even if he was a little grateful. Maybe she really did love the nest and actually enjoyed it when he covered her with kisses? Probably not when he covered her in precum, though. That...that seemed really disgusting in hindsight. But maybe she liked it?

His forehead thumped heavily against her shoulder as he groaned, hugging her around the waist even as he felt his insatiable cock twitch again at the feel of her soft skin under his cheek.

“What’s the matter?” She sounded so worried and so sweet, he just wanted to curl up with her again. Maybe without making so much of a mess. Or at least maybe a little bit of a mess, not too much. Just enough of a mess? His head spun and he rubbed his cheek against her with an unhappy grumble, until her fingers were in his hair and it settled the anxious rumbling that was starting up in his chest.

“I was just thinking...do you think I’m gross, Marinette?” His voice sounded strangely small, and he felt like he’d had a similar conversation before. Shortly after the last change to his Chat Noir uniform, Plagg had mentioned something about the suit shifting sometimes to fit changes in the Chosen. He’d loved his new suit, it looked _really_ cool, but he’d read some stupid article in a magazine and it had rubbed him the wrong way, eating at him until his next patrol with his lady. 

He’d fussed and sulked until she’d dragged the reason out of him, and he’d confessed he was worried about the suit. The journalist had said it made him look like a two-bit _villain_ from some bargain bin action movie and it had stung more than he’d expected it to. 

Ladybug on the other hand had been so angry she’d offered to hit them for him. He’d never seen his buginette that mad before, or at least not quite like that. She’d taken his face in her hands and rubbed his ears and pet him until he’d felt better, and that had been the end of it. Or it had until a follow-up article had been posted publicly apologizing for insulting one of Paris’s top heroes and he’d had the distinct feeling that Ladybug had stormed the publishing office on his behalf. It had meant a lot to him at the time, and still did.

Now he was feeling insecure and self-conscious for entirely new and definitely more humiliating reasons. He kept losing his head, saying some really embarrassingly awful things to her, doing whatever he liked with seemingly no regard for how she felt, and on top of it he was _always_ on the edge of orgasm now and felt like he was going to burst if she just looked at him funny. Or pet his hair again. Or rubbed his cheek with her knuckles or just did anything, really. Hell, he was sure if she just said his name the right way he’d cream himself so hard he’d pass out. It was bad enough he was dripping precum everywhere and he was starting to worry about it. Was this even _normal?_

Marinette simply turned, and the look of alarm on her face almost mirrored his own.

“ _No!_ Of course I don’t think you’re gross, why on earth would you think that?” She sounded so horrified, and he bent his head, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. Where should he even start? Before he had a chance, there was a clean towel dropped over his head, and she started rubbing, leaving him sinking into the touch with a throaty purr, his cock twitching at the attention as she got to work drying him off. It also gave him time to get his thoughts in order, and if he didn’t feel safe enough to talk about this to Marinette, then who could he talk to? He couldn’t tell Ladybug this sort of stuff, it was embarrassingly personal.

“It’s a little scary, I don’t feel like myself half the time. I feel like...like some of what’s happening to me isn’t normal. Like I’m weird, somehow. I feel like I forced you into something.” The hands towelling him dry went still, and the edge of the towel was lifted until he was looking up at her. Even with her hair a mess she was still stunning, her gaze soft even if she was scowling, Then she was rubbing his cheek, and the whole thing seemed a little less terrifying.

“You’re not gross, Adrien. We’re just a little late going through this, is all. So I guess your heat is probably hitting you stronger because of it? Don’t ever think you’re gross or weird just because you didn’t go through it the same way everyone else did. I looked it up and no, you’re not the only omega who has trouble keeping yourself from making a mess. That’s why they made slick pads, silly!” She took his face in both hands and he purred, leaning into the familiar touch as his lady stroked his cheeks. “So how about this, I’ll go to the store and see if I can’t find some industrial omega-grade supplies so you aren’t trapped in the tub all week?” The grin on her face got him chuckling, and she hugged him to her, his head resting against her stomach as she scratched behind where his cat ears should be.

“Also Adrien?” She paused, and he hummed questioningly, glancing up through his hair to see her face. Her smile was confident and sassy, her eyes gleaming. “Trust me, if you ever tried to do anything I didn’t want you to, I’d crush you. Gently, but I’d still kick your butt. Okay?” Something about the playful way she said she’d destroy him had him biting his lip, and he was sure that even if he _wasn’t_ stuck as a walking fountain that would have done something to him. As it was he simply leaned into the side of the tub, shivering at the cold and praying she didn’t notice how much he liked that idea.

“Okay.” He smiled, flushed and purring as she started brushing out his hair. “Thanks, Marinette.” A soft kiss was pressed to the top of his head, and his chest ached from pleasure.

“Don’t worry about it.” He could hear the smile in her voice, and her gentle trilling hum lulled him into closing his eyes, lost in the sound, her warmth, and the feel of the brush in his hair.

* * *

“Do you _have_ to go?” Adrien whined, frustrated that he _was_ whining, but also feeling like if there was ever a time he was allowed to whine, it was right now. While Marinette was struggling to hold her bags, tug her boots on, all the while holding her keys and a notebook with her shopping list. She looked like an accident waiting to happen and he stood there, shifting anxiously as he watched her. 

They’d just finished getting clean and dressed. He felt warm, cozy, and pampered after she’d done all that work grooming him, and he just wanted to curl up with her in their nest. That and he had a feeling if he used his gooey Chat eyes and pleaded with her just a little more she’d crack and stay home with him.

“I told you, I have to go get you some supplies. Twenty minutes and I’ll be right home, I promise.” She sighed, stomping to get her foot into her boot before reaching for him. He went to her, rubbing his cheek against hers as he hugged her close, purring noisily in her ear. “I don’t want to leave you alone here either, but it’s not safe for you outside the apartment, okay? There’s cakes from maman and papa in the fridge, and once we’ve got your things I’ll take you to their shop and you can pick whatever you’d like.” 

Her voice was soothing, her gentle touch stroking his spine from the twist she’d put his hair into all the way to his hips. If she went now she’d be back, and then they could get cakes. As much as he wanted to fight her, it _did_ make it sound worth the wait, so he buried his face between her scarf and her throat and kissed her, nipping and sucking at the skin until he could see a mark. Tracing the shape with his tongue, he pulled back enough to brush a kiss across her lips.

“Please hurry, I’ll miss you.” He took her flushed face in his hands, brushing his thumbs across her soft lips. One kiss had been enough to leave her stunned and breathless, and he wanted more, but he had to remind himself that she had to go. For him. So that she could bring him things so they could go out _together._ It was hard, but he managed to let her go, taking one of her hands in his so he could kiss her knuckles, stroking her slim fingers with his thumb as he met her gaze through the sweep of his bangs. The ache of longing already setting into his chest and making him feel hollow.

“I’ll miss you too,” Marinette smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. “Wait for me in the nest, I’ll be right back, then we can order takeout and have a movie night. How’s that sound?” Cuddles and tasty food and more cuddling with his mate? He chirruped, his smile making his cheeks ache.

“It sounds perfect. I’ll pick something out while you’re gone.” Dipping in for one last kiss, Adrien watched her go, leaning out the door of their den until he watched the edge of her coat disappear around the corner to the lift. With a heavy sigh, he closed the door, locking it before padding to their nest and flopping over the edge, staring at the racks that held Marinette and Alya’s movies.

“You doing okay, kid?” Plagg settled onto the edge of the blankets, watching his Chosen purr away, kneading the nest until Adrien got comfortable again. Adrien glanced at him, chirping quietly as he reached out to brush a fingertip between Plagg’s ears.

“I think so! Marinette’s getting me some things then we’re going to have a movie night. I’m excited.” He grinned, rolling onto his back and shifting to rub his spine and shoulders as if trying to scratch an itch. Plagg wasn’t at all surprised that Adrien immediately grabbed one of the pillows that smelled the most like his lady and hugged it tight. Kneading it and clinging to it when he wasn’t pressing his face into it to breathe in her scent. Subtle, but it was still a form of self-soothing in her absence and she hadn’t even been gone five minutes yet. 

To say Plagg was worried was a stretch, but he felt it was probably best to keep a close eye on the kitten until Ladybug got home. He’d had a lot of omega kittens in his time, but this kitten was certainly having a pretty rough go of it. Mostly because he was denser than rock and Plagg still couldn’t see how the kid hadn’t recognized his mate yet. He just hoped the kid wouldn’t go stir-crazy. It always got ugly when they did, and he never liked watching it happen when it was so easily preventable. Best to keep the kid distracted.

“So was I the only one that thought it weird your cutiepie had Chat Noir pajamas?” He glanced at Adrien, his whiskers twitching as he smirked. “You might have yourself as competition, kid.”

“Plagg, don’t be stupid.” Adrien glared, then his eyes went wide. “Actually...where did she put those?” He pushed himself up, knowing that he hadn’t tucked them into their nest as he wandered, scenting the air and a low grumbling sound escaping him as he wandered into her room to rummage in her laundry basket. The sweater she’d been wearing that morning was definitely out of the question. His nose wrinkled. It smelled like him and was sticky, he’d have to wash that for her. Digging deeper found older clothes that didn’t smell as nice, so he turned to the bed. Sure enough, draped across the foot as if she’d laid them out for later was the Chat Noir set. Lifting them, he pressed his face into the soft fabric and breathed deep, exhaling in a long purr.

“Purrfect.” He sighed, holding them up and thinking hard. They’d looked _really_ big on her, and he checked the tags just to be certain. Glancing around as if expecting either Marinette or Alya to pounce when he had his back turned, he tugged the shirt on over his head, smoothing the fabric down. Where it had been adorably tent-like on Marinette, it was comfortably snug on him, and Adrien found himself purring more as he was tightly wrapped in her scent. Like a hug, in a way, his hands stroking his chest as he thought of Marinette wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tight. The pants however…

They’d probably end up looking way too short. Still… He squinted at them, tapping his fingertips against his chin before shrugging. Why not, if he couldn’t fit in them he’d find something else. After a bit of work, he had them over his hips, pleasantly surprised to find they weren’t too tight even if they didn’t reach his ankles. Marinette’s hips were wide enough that she apparently wore bottoms big enough to accommodate even his thighs, which were usually one of the things stopping him from wearing most trousers. It was hard to be a superhero that ran on all fours with an affinity for pouncing villains and scaling buildings and _not_ end up with well muscled legs, after all. Fully dressed and covered in his Marinette’s scent, Adrien trotted back to the living room, content with curling up to sleep the time away until his lady returned.

He dozed, wrapped up in her scent and he could have sworn she was there beside him, her fingers brushing through his hair. _Silly kitty…_ The words sounded so close, as if she held him in her lap, cradling him to her like something precious. 

Lost in pleasant dreams, he didn’t notice the heavy footsteps in the hall, though his eyes snapped open at the sound of a knock. Light and sharp, and he lurched upward, glaring at the door before glancing to Plagg. The kwami was staring at the door with open suspicion, so Adrien kept low, stalking towards the door with a growl building in his chest. Rising to his full height, he cracked the door open to glare out into the hall, a sudden sharp spike of anxiety hitting him like a hammer to the sternum when he saw the impeccable suits and his eyes jumped to the sharply styled glasses and the cold gaze behind them.

“Good afternoon, Adrien. Your father wishes for you to return home.” Nathalie’s face was as impassive as always, and he felt himself bristling, his grip on the doorknob so tight his joints ached. His bared fangs did nothing, and even the massive man behind her only looked mildly uncomfortable instead of flinching.

“Nathalie, I _am_ home. I’m not going back to the mansion.” His heart was pounding, tempted to slam the door in their faces and block it, wait for Marinette to get home. “I told you that earlier, I’m fine right where I am!”

“Adrien, you’re in the middle of your heat, you’re not thinking clearly.” As always Nathalie sounded so collected, as if she was untouched by the world around her. He knew better, there was a heart hidden in there somewhere, he’d _seen_ her bend before. There had to be a way to get her to actually listen to him. After all, she’d let him go to public school, and that wasn’t the only time he’d managed to convince her to find a loophole in his father’s strict rules for him.

“Nathalie, _please!_ I’m not fourteen anymore, why can’t you let me have this? He’s still locked in his office, why does it _matter_ where I am?” He was panting, the anxiety rising, Marinette still wasn’t home and father was going to make him leave whether he wanted to or not. Why did this _always_ happen? His heart was pounding, his jaws aching, and he felt the growl rising as the fog closed in around him until his world was washed in a haze so thick he couldn’t see. His nostrils flared as he scented the air, his head lowering and shoulders rounding as the snarl built until it was all he could hear.

* * *

Nathalie took a single step back, almost bumping off the man behind her. Guilt had flashed through her as she’d seen the beginnings of Adrien’s panic attack closing in on him, only she had no time for her misgivings now. The door was forced open as Adrien snarled, his fangs gleaming in the bright lights of the hall, his eyes dilated and wild, the well-groomed young man lost to the sense of a threat.

“Hold him.” The words were tense, but she was in no condition to wrestle a fully grown omega ready for a fight, and she winced as Adrien lunged forward the moment she moved. As long as he kept Adrien still for a moment, it was all that mattered. The boy had lost his head completely, but she’d underestimated how bad he’d truly be. He fought with snapping jaws and slashed as if he had claws like a wild beast, twisting out of lock holds as if he were boneless to drop to the floor and hiss, back arching in what was obviously a threat display. Seeing him go feral was like ice water down her spine, but they pushed forward, shutting the door behind them as Adrien retreated to the living room to crouch over his nest. The growling sounds he made set her hair on end, it just wasn’t a sound any human should make, omega or not.

The chauffeur took one step towards the nest and Adrien sprang at him, jaws wide as if he were going for a killing bite, only to find himself caught in the massive man’s hold. With both hands on Adrien’s chin, forcing his head back, the young man thrashed, trying to claw him, but his winter suit was too thick for Adrien to do any damage even to the heavy wool. 

Dipping her hand into her suit pocket she yanked out the omega blocker pen and flicked off the neon cap. Jabbing it hard against Adrien’s thigh, Nathalie prayed as she smashed the button on the pen. It was an alternative design on an epi-pen, an emergency measure for omegas going through sudden bouts of alpha withdrawal, the fast-acting suppressant releasing chemicals that should clear his head and trick his body into thinking the heat had passed. _If_ it worked.

Adrien continued to thrash, snarling and snapping as she watched him struggle with bated breath, sweat prickling on her spine until he began to grow sluggish. Then all at once he sagged in the other man’s grip, letting out a low moan as he crashed. The ‘downs’ were always hard on omega. The overwhelming sensations of the heat after days of being overstimulated left the omegas exhausted when the flood of endorphins was shut off without warning. The loss often left them depressed and emotionally fragile as they crashed emotionally, but it was a risk they had to take.

“What happened…?” His words were slurred, tears spilling from the corners of his eyes as the chauffeur settled him higher in his arms when Adrien went limp.

“An omega blocker, Adrien. You’ll feel better in a few hours, as the effects are temporary.” Nathalie pushed her glasses higher and tugged her blazer straight, smoothing the fabric out. “I’ll go get his things, go ahead and take him to the car. Try to keep him comfortable.” 

She turned her back as Adrien was carried out, taking a moment to look over the apartment. The air was thick with the smell of flowers of some kind and...had they been _baking?_ It was a sickly-sweet smell, and she had to cover her nose and mouth with her kerchief as a wet cough wracked her frame. The air felt thick and heavy, which wasn’t a good sign even if she hadn’t had weak lungs. That and the peacock-blue accent wall had been covered with pale pink fabrics to hide the color, which seemed to be a new addition.

A new addition that just happened to match the nest. It was in its advanced stages of construction which alarmed her, well fortified with high walls and already looking very lived-in. If he’d only just transformed the space in the last day… Gabriel wasn’t going to be pleased, this spoke of planning. A _lot_ of planning. Either that or Adrien had been heavily inspired in the spur of the moment, and Nathalie took Adrien’s keys from the counter as the chill crept down her spine, leaving an ugly feeling twisting in her stomach as she locked the door and pulled it closed behind her. Putting as much distance between herself and the apartment as she could, it took everything she had to resist the feeling that the next few hours were going to turn absolutely hellish.

The chill only grew as she let herself into Adrien’s apartment to pack for him, the rooms seeming oddly cold. Uninhabited for at least a day, which only made the prickling sensation worse. Everything she touched seemed to scream that Adrien was bonded, and she had to force her hands to stop trembling as she folded his clothes into a suitcase. Nathalie wasn’t certain which would be worse; Gabriel learning that his son had bonded to an unknown alpha (likely the Dupain-Cheng girl if the other apartment was any indication) while none of them realized it, or the knowledge that she had two hours at the most before Adrien woke up. Then she would be face to face with an omega who would rightfully blame _her_ for tearing him away from his alpha. The coughing fit struck hard, and she left the apartment in a hurry, throwing out her kerchief as she slipped out, too dignified to flee but quickly putting distance between herself and the apartments as if rushing down the hallway would somehow save her from what was coming.


	9. Rage and Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Adrien missing, Marinette finds herself overcome with a whirlwind of emotions. What will happen now that the pair have been torn apart? Will Marinette turn over the city looking for her mate? Will the Agreste mansion survive the combined forces of a pair of lovers scorned? Or will Gabriel once again drive a wedge between the two and tangle everything more tightly than before?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * _quickly knocks the cobwebs from the fic and dusts all the corners before anyone sees_ *
> 
> AHEM! HELLO, STARSHINES! Yes, your eyes do not deceive you! It is indeed I, ZiriO, back from the void in time for the spoopiest of months to bring you a fresh chapter of beloved lovesquare hijinks! I will warn y'all that some of this _might_ not make sense in context with the latest episodes. Which I have not seen and I will give you the Disappointed Stare of Judgement if there's any Attempted Helpful Comments that spoil new episodes. Please keep in mind that a lot of this was written _waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy _back in April during one of the release gaps where we knew only the vaguest of things about Mayura/La Paon and I am waiting for the production and release schedules to sort themselves out before I watch again. I think I've seen one or two episodes past Oblivio and that's it. So please, **no spoilers past Oblivio** or I will be forced to use Shame Glitter on you, and nobody wants that. Especially not me since I've had a hard enough time avoiding leaks in this fandom.__
> 
> __BUT WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY. I want to thank everyone for being so wonderful about this fic and me trying something out of my comfort zone, for being supportive even when I've been struggling, for being patient while I've disappeared from Real Life Nonsense, and much love to MiniMinou for fixing my nonsense and Yuna for being so excited for it that I get swamped with enthusiasm. No, I haven't abandoned any of my fic, I do have lots of half-written chapters for pretty much _everything_ I have that's in-progress, I'm just handling a lot more than I once was and I am Very Tired. BUT! ENOUGH SAD FEELS LET'S GET TO THE GOOD BITS._ _
> 
> __WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, please fasten your seatbelts, and enjoy! Will Marinette tear the Agreste Mansion down with her bare hands when she realizes Adrien is gone? Will Adrien make a Dashing Escape like the distressed damsel that he is? Will I finally stop disappearing off the face of the earth while I battle Brain Weasels in mortal combat using only my art tools as weapons??? STAY TUNED UNTIL NEXT TIME to find out!_ _
> 
> __No shmoopy warnings apply to this chapter ~~aside from gross tooth-rotting fluff~~. Pls enjoy these two goobs getting ready to maul half a city ♥_ _

Marinette felt her stomach drop, a sudden chill going through her as her heart began to pound. She’d just finished tucking her wallet back into her purse, stumbling against the side of the building as she tried to control her breathing. It was the same awful feeling she got whenever she saw an akuma in the distance, the rush of adrenaline mixed with terror, but there was no reason for it that she could see anywhere. Which could only mean—

“ _Adrien!_ ” She took off running, her boots slipping on the asphalt, tears stinging her eyes as she ran the last block, nearly toppling over as she rounded the corner too quickly and nearly fell. Her stomach twisted, almost slamming the lobby door open in her haste. There was no time to wait for the lift, her heart pounding as she threw the stairwell door open and raced up, taking two stairs at a time.

“Marinette, what’s wrong?” Tikki was at her shoulder in an instant, her antennae flicking forward.

“Something’s wrong, Adrien’s in trouble!” Her words left her in a rush, Tikki’s face scrunching up in surprise and concern as she eyed her Chosen. “You said—!” Marinette was gasping, fighting past the tension in her chest, struggling to breathe around the heavy weight dragging her down.

“I said it was Char Noir in trouble if you felt something like that…” Tikki pressed her paws to her mouth, then her eyes went wide, realizing she’d almost been left behind as Marinette pelted down the hallway. “Wait, Marinette!” Yet her Chosen wasn’t listening, fumbling her keys as she fought the door, almost kicking it open in her frustration.

“Adrien?” She scanned the room, dumping the bags on the floor as she stepped inside, her heart hammering against her ribs as she went from room to room calling after him. By the time she got back to the living room there were tears in her eyes. “Tikki, what do I do?” Pressing the heels of her hands into her eyesockets, she struggled to choke back the rush of emotions as something hot and prickly built within her. 

She needed to calm down and think. Running around in a panic wouldn’t help - yet telling herself that didn’t work either when his scents were washed out with the cold trace of something she couldn’t place muddying the air. Adrien wouldn’t have gone far, maybe back to his apartment for something. Patting down her pockets, she yanked out her phone, pressing it to her ear as she dialed his number.

Except when it rang, she heard the tune he’d picked out for her last year playing from somewhere nearby. Her gaze darted to the bright lights of his screen glowing against the glass top on their coffee table. Suddenly feeling sick, she called Nino, pushing back the rising urge to take off down the hall again. Her jaw ached, muscles tensing, and every time the phone rang she felt closer to snapping.

“Hey M, how’s it—?”

“Nino, is Adrien with you?” She wanted to scream, but she fought it down, pacing as she bit at her thumbnail, tripping over the shopping bags in the kitchen before she stooped to empty them. It was mindless and kept her hands busy while Nino sputtered.

“Nah, why would he be? What’s wrong, Marinette? You sound hella freaked.” She could hear Alya asking him something in the background, and she had to pinch the bridge of her nose to stop herself from doing something _really_ stupid. Like tearing the building apart looking for her missing mate.

“It’s Adrien, I went to the store to get him some things, but when I got back he was gone. His phone’s still here and his keys are gone. I don’t know where he’d go!” She broke down, crying into her hands from frustration as a hot knot built within her chest, pressing hard against the inside of her skull. Her jaws ached so badly she saw stars and gasped for air, yet there was something strange in the air that made her go still when her mind began to place it. An unfamiliar smell mixed with fear. Anxiety and anger warping Adrien’s warm scent into something sour and cloying.

“Nino, I think someone took Adrien.” Her stomach dropped out of her, a chill filling her as she went to the door, checking it for forced entry. “He let someone in and got stressed out, I can smell it. I don’t see anything else, who would do that?” Her mind reeled, and she sank to the floor, slumping against the door as the forgotten tears dripped from her chin, the hiccups hitting her so hard it almost made her sick from the rush of adrenaline.

“Oh _shit._ Hold on girl, we’ll be right there. Okay? Just sit tight, we’re coming.” Alya must have taken Nino’s phone out of his hand, and Marinette could only nod, letting the line go dead. She didn’t remember getting up, only that she wandered aimlessly in a haze, an anxious clicking noise rising from her throat. Not even Tikki could help her feel better, the kwami settling tight against her cheek and stroking her face, but she couldn’t shake the awful feeling twisting her up on the inside. It was like someone had punched a hole through her, ripping out her heart and half of the rest of her with it, leaving something burning and ugly in its place. Somehow Tikki lead her to the nest, unconsciously kneading Adrien’s clothes he’d left in it as her kwami settled in her hair, her lips peeling back from her teeth as she hissed and seethed.

She didn’t even move or complain when Alya stepped into the nest to curl up beside her, cradling her to her chest as Marinette clutched her best friend, a grinding, growling sound building in her as Alya stroked her hair. Nothing seemed to push her out of the fog she’d fallen in to, or at least not until she heard Alya growling, holding her tight as she spoke to Nino. A thought flickered through the haze, focusing her thoughts as she took deep breaths to steady herself. If anyone could help her find Adrien, it would be Alya...and _Chat._ Chat and Rena could find anyone by scent alone, if she asked, she didn’t care if they found out who Ladybug was. Just as long as they helped her find Adrien then she’d just have to deal with the consequences after that.

“I checked the other apartment, someone’s taken his stuff too, babe.” Nino crouched at the edge of the nest, not wanting to disturb his friend’s hard work. “Like, they went through and _packed_ for him. I didn’t smell him in there at all, and trust me, it’s hard to miss since he started his heat. No dice, but I’m thinking it was Nathalie. I don’t know anybody that smells so cold other than his asshole père that would bother to pack like he’s going on a weekend photoshoot.” At his words, Marinette went still, her grip tightening painfully on Alya’s ribs.

“They called earlier. Adrien told them he didn’t want to come home because of his heat, and because he wanted to stay here.” Her thoughts turned to ash as fury burned in her hotter than ever, sitting up as she glared at her hands. “What do you think his father sent them to come get him anyway?”

“No bets, Marinette. That sounds like exactly the sort of thing he’d do.” Alya frowned, rubbing her chin as she rose, dusting herself off as she offered a hand to lift Marinette to her feet. “We’ve got to come up with a plan, we can’t just break his gate down.”

“Can’t we?” Marinette looked to Alya, and something in her face made both Alya and Nino flinch away. “Because I’m pretty sure he just had someone break into my house and _take Adrien away against his wishes_.”

“Woah, girl. Put the claws away.” Alya tried to soothe her, but Marinette slapped Alya’s hand away, storming out of the room. “Marinette, where are you going? If he has you taken away you can’t help Adrien from jail, girl! Don’t do anything crazy.”

“I’m going to see if I can’t call Ladybug.” Marinette seethed, slamming the apartment door behind her and running for the roof access, feeling Tikki’s weight in her coat pocket. She’d tear the gates of the Agreste mansion down with her bare hands if she had to.

* * *

Adrien was shaking all over when he woke, looking around to find himself staring at the walls of his old room. He hadn’t lived here for close to two years, and his father still hadn’t seen fit to remodel it yet. Stomach lurching with an awful sense of loss, he somehow staggered to the bathroom before getting violently ill. Leaning against the sink, he groaned, washing his hands and splashing cold water on his face.

“Plagg?” The name was an unhappy cry, a desperate sort of hope filling him. “Plagg, are you there?”

“Right here, kid.” A warm weight settled on his shoulder, tiny paws touching his hair and cheek. Adrien simply leaned against the sink, face buried in his hands as he willed away the second wave of nausea. The whole room seemed to be spinning, and he couldn’t stop _crying_. Why couldn’t he stop crying?

“What happened? What did they do to me?” He was choking, why did he feel like something important had been stolen away from him? Where was Marinette?

“Some weird needle thing, it shut your heat down hard. You’re having some bad backlash, probably best to go sleep it off.” Plagg sounded uncertain, but the realization hit as Adrien picked through the foggy memories. A pain in his thigh. _An omega blocker._ The growl built in him as he dragged himself onto his feet, fangs aching as he snarled. The mirror smashing wasn’t nearly as satisfying as he’d hoped, the ruined towel he’d wrapped around his hand discarded in the shower stall as he spun away, stalking towards the door to the rest of the mansion. When he forced it open the wood and hinges groaned in protest, and he gave it little heed as he stalked across the marble floors with silent steps, his lips peeling back from his fangs.

Nostrils flaring, he caught the scent as he crouched low, hackles rising before he leapt the bannister and dropped to the first floor. Muscles cording, he bounded forward, wanting his claws, his sleek black suit that would let him blend perfectly with the shadows. His breath rushed out of him through his clenched fangs, and he slid to a stop before the door, wrenching it open and taking no solace in the sound of metal whining in protest and wood shattering. Rising to his feet, he rounded on her desk only to see it empty, and his fury burned brighter.

“Hey kid, you really oughta be lying down, cool your head for a few minutes—”

“ _WHERE IS SHE?_ ” He howled, the desk smashing against the tiles as he toppled it, blinded by fury. He could have been home with his mate! They’d been happy and now he was going to tear the place to pieces until he found those responsible.

* * *

“Sir, I need to speak with you.” Nathalie could feel the cold chill creeping higher up her spine, her skin clammy enough that her tablet was slipping in her grip. Pressing a fresh kerchief to her mouth, she tried her best to keep her coughs discreet. It must have been all the extra exertion today, normally it wasn’t as bad as this.

“I believe I gave you your instructions already, Nathalie. I have something that needs attending to elsewhere, and I have little time to waste on idle chatter.” An even colder glance passed over her, then to the door. As always, they were alone, though he took care never to mention his other work outside of his sanctum. “You’re supposed to wait until I have further need of you.”

“Yes sir, I understand.” Yet her lungs and throat itched, and her thoughts kept straying to the room across the hall. “It’s about Adrien.” Only the faintest twitch of a silvery brow gave her any hint that he was listening, focused on the monitors before him. Swallowing around the rising gorge in her throat, she took care not to fidget.

“There were multiple signs and far too much evidence that he might already have bonded, sir.” Her grip tensed on her tablet as he turned towards her, and the blaze in his eyes had her turning her gaze away almost immediately.

“He _what?_ ” The fury was barely contained, but it was safer to admit this now while Adrien was still unconscious.

“Sir, I have many reasons to believe he might have already bonded to one of his long-time classmates. Marinette Dupain-Cheng; she has attended several of our fashion shows, and has regularly designed work for Jagged Stone, as well as placed in our fashion design contests.” This information soothed the icy flames burning in his eyes, though she still couldn’t meet his gaze again.

“The pigtailed girl.” There was a flicker of recognition in his eyes, and his brows furrowed as he considered this news.

“I...believe she changed her hairstyle some time ago sir, but yes. The young lady with the pigtails.” It seemed to be going over well, but she still had yet to broach the more delicate subject that she was leading up to.

“What lead you to the conclusion that she’s bonded to him? Were there any marks?” His glasses caught the light and she suppressed a shiver. The urge to cough was rising again, but she tamped down on it.

“No marks, sir. Adrien showed no signs of a mating bite, and knowing him I believe he would intend to court her properly before attempting to do so. As it stands however, when I entered the apartment there was an extensive nest in the final stages of construction, spanning the entire main room. I have the feeling that it would have been completed within the next day should he be able to get his hands on the proper materials. All the materials used in construction seem catered entirely to Mlle Dupain-Cheng’s personal preferences if my knowledge of her design aesthetic is accurate. The entire apartment has been scent marked and his own shows no signs of habitation since his heat began, seeing as his roommate is also an omega and would have taken residence elsewhere until Adrien’s heat passed to avoid a sympathy heat. Before application of the suppressants he was also showing signs of advanced alpha withdrawal, as he was quick to enter a feral-state trance when threatened with removal from the premises.” She kept her eyes downcast but it was impossible to miss the sound Gabriel made. Sweat prickled along the nape of her neck, the thought of invoking her superior’s ire as well as Adrien’s was enough to leave her itching to escape. Yet before he could reprimand her, she heard a crash echo through the mansion.

Metal screaming and wood being smashed to pieces, and she spun to face the doors, taking a step back to put more distance between her and the hall. She was not too proud to admit she wasn’t close to terror in that moment, flinching at the howl that followed.

“Sir?” She glanced to her employer, whose expression had gone dark, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared her down until her head bowed once more.

“I doubt you would be one to forget we have more omega blocker pens, Nathalie. I hired you for a reason, I doubt you would do anything to make me regret it after all this time. I trust you far far more than that.” Then he was gone, retreating to his sanctum and leaving her watching the doors and mentally retracing her steps. How much of the mansion had she walked since she’d brought Adrien home? Would she have enough time to block the door before he found her? Not enough time, no. Straightening, she patted down her blazer, and crossed to Gabriel’s desk when her pockets turned up empty. Time, as always, was against her.

* * *

“Kid! Hey, kid! Hold your whiskers!” Plagg caught him by the hair and _yanked_ , dragging his head around and nearly ending up between Adrien’s teeth for his efforts as his Chosen’s jaws snapped shut just shy of the kwami’s fur. Plagg hissed, swatting him across the nose and bringing his Chosen up short. Adrien looked like a wreck, his chest heaving and his face blotchy, streaked with tears. The drop had hit him hard once the initial grogginess had worn off, and his kitten was crouching in the middle of a hall turning in circles and keening like a stray. Not good. So he patted his cub’s cheeks until those glassy eyes turned to him again, holding him in place by the nose until he stopped trying to pull away.

“There’s an akuma, kid. Your lady needs you right now unless you wanna go find a corner to lick your wounds in until she breaks the door down looking for you. Now, are you gonna sit here sulking or what?” He couldn’t believe he was having to kick the kid into motion, but they had to get out of this house, it never did either of them any good being stuck in here. 

Adrien seemed to perk up at the mention of Ladybug, lunging forward and vaulting the stairs to reach his room. Even now it was one of the few places in the mansion that he could lock himself in without being questioned. The cub chose the bathroom as his escape route, a surprisingly wise choice, even if he wasn’t looking forward to what would happen after this.

* * *

Wind whipped through his hair, the scents and sounds of the city teasing his senses, the rooftops reassuringly solid beneath his claws as he tore across them. Leaping out into the dying sunlight as dusk closed in behind him, he closed his eyes and trusted his instincts as he scented the air. His heart ached, ghosts of tears still stinging his eyes. For once he didn’t want to be fighting akumas, he didn’t want to patrol, he wanted to be home more than anything even if it meant Marinette would see him with his mask. Twisting mid-air to slide under a construction crane’s arm, his claws sending up sparks as he slowed his descent, he sprung forward into the open sky. The solid weight of his baton grounded him as extended it above his head, spinning it for more height, carrying him farther across the gap between buildings.

As he landed the sharp whine of wire over his head pricked his ears, his lips peeling back from his fangs as his blood sang in answer. The painful hollowness under his ribs suddenly filled to bursting with a fiery joy, an itch building in him to hunt and catch. His Lady. _His_. And she was _right there_.

Suddenly the race across the rooftops was transformed into a game as he darted from one chimney column to another, the shadow flickering across the tiles around him. He pounced at a flash of red at the edge of his vision, claws out and a yowl in his throat, latching on and dragging her down with him as he caught her around the middle. Burying his face against her hair, he wrapped his arms around her to protect her as they tumbled, the sky and roof a blur around them until they slowed. He tucked his face against her throat as he grinned into her suit and she laughed. A sound was like music to his ears, relieved and delighted as she held him close, and he rubbed his face against her like he never wanted to let her go.

“Oh Chaton, I missed you so much! I was so worried.” A soft kiss was pressed to the top of his head and he beamed, purring up a storm as he breathed deep. His eyes snapped wide open and he scented her again, a thrill going through him that was torn between excitement and horror and too many other things to name. His lady smelled like _home_ , but she always had. No, this was the scent of his shampoo and sweet things, of his thick scent rubbed into her very skin and if he hadn’t spent the last day with his face buried against it, he might have never noticed.

_Mine!_

The relief had him trembling, shivering as he clutched her so tight against him she wheezed for air. His wonderful, fierce, sweet lady. All his own, and he was so full of anxious nerves he was afraid to taste her to be certain. He had to know, _needed_ to know, but before he could touch his tongue to her soft skin—so many freckles, how did he never notice before—he heard a cackle high above them. He bared his fangs and hissed at the interruption, but Rena was as unrepentant as always.

“Come on, you horny tomcat! Hunt first, then play!” She smirked, throwing him a wink that only made him sulk more.

“I _did_ , I caught her fair and square without any help!” He grumbled, though his grip did relax when his lady’s fingers stroked his scalp, scratching him just where he needed it most and when she tried to pull away he followed her hand. Which earned him another soft laugh, both hands tangling in his hair and scratching his jaw and she was smiling at him like he was the most important thing in the world. His heart ached so much it hurt, the hollow feeling in his bones slowly being chased away.

“Come on, minou. Let’s get this over quick, I need your help with something afterwards.” There was a flicker of sadness in her eyes, but her gaze hardened, and she gave his nose a playful tap before she slipped away. On his feet in a flash, he gave chase, determined to tease more of her laughter from her before the fight was done.

The scent of flowers grew thick in the air as they drew closer to the akuma, a young woman in a fluttering slip of a gown covered with constellations, a crown of blossoms on her head and a shimmering dust trailing down her cheeks. She seemed to drift down the street, her unshod feet barely touching the cold asphalt beneath her. Lifting her arms above her head, her bangle bracelets chimed softly as she spun, her dress flaring out until it seemed to mirror the night sky, the phases of the moon trimming the hem of her dress in shining gold.

“Come, Paris! Lay your woes at the feet of the Oracle, and I will guide you through the dark of night!” Even her voice had a dreamlike quality. They watched her for a moment before Chat let his baton rest across his shoulders, grinning at Ladybug and Rena, Carapace settling onto the roof at his side.

“Didn’t the opera _just_ leave town? I didn’t know they were performing an encore.” His lady’s nose scrunched as she gave him one of her lopsided smiles, and he returned it with a canary-eating grin.

“Don’t be such a class-act, Chat. Let the lady have her fifteen minutes in the spotlight.” Ladybug smirked at him, her ribbons twitching, and it made his cheeks flush in quiet pleasure. Rena simply rolled her eyes, her ears folding back.

“That’s it, if you two don’t knock that off I’m demoting both of you to stagehands.” Her tail flicked, and Chat made a sound of mock offense.

“Booo, Rena! Don’t be such a scene-stealer!” Her groan only made him chuckle, but the akuma seemed less than pleased as she watched them. Then her eyes seemed to catch the light, shining a clear blue-green like a spring lake, and she raised a hand to point at the heroes.

“Enjoy your moment of frivolity, but I see many troubles in your future, Chat Noir! Give me your Miraculous, that I might spare you this fate!” Her voice rang clear in the quiet street, the civilians having fled the moment they saw the akuma. Pursing his lips, Chat cocked his head, considering it for a long moment before he shook his head.

“I’m going to have to make that a no. I’m rather attached to it, you see.” Tugging his collar lapels into place, he rolled his shoulders, spinning his baton. “Without it, I’d be just another stray alleycat, after all! I think my lady prefers me in black.” Shooting his lovely lady a playful wink just to see her roll her eyes and shake her head, his grin growing wider. He’d show her that her playful tomcat was the same dashing cat that built his lady her very own perfect hideaway. Now he knew the man who stole his lady’s heart was none other than himself, he felt more determined than ever to prove his worth to his fierce, lovely alpha. Confident and sure-footed, dancing along the edge of the building just to feel her watching him before he pounced with a wild cry.

“Let’s see if you can’t steal it from me!” Too cocky, but he’d refined the act of leaping in head first to an art, moving with his Ladybug and watching her as much as the akuma. Every move she made seemed familiar and yet somehow new, and he found himself getting distracted every time he caught her scent. Which was dangerous when it turned out Oracle could predict their movements in advance, but only if she focused on one of them at a time. So they tested her, rushing her all at once, with Rena using her illusion to see if Oracle could sense which of them was real and which wasn’t. She was quick, but not quick enough, overwhelmed and yet managing to keep them from snatching her akuma.

Chat hardly blinked at the fishing rod his lady conjured, quickly snatching the flower crown out of the air once she’d snagged it and began to reel it in. He shredded it and the young woman collapsed, clutching her red coat tight as she slumped to the ground. The bangle bracelets she wore jangling as she shivered.

“Good game, minou.” His lady’s hand looked so small when she held it out, and he pounded it in, blinking slowly at her as his tail wound about her hips to pull her a little closer. With the Akuma dealt with, the anxious look was in her eyes again, and he set his hands on her shoulders, kneading instinctively.

“What is it, my lady? You said you needed my help, and I have nothing but time. Carapace and Rena can take care of the lovely lady in our place.” One glance to their friends reassured her that they had everything under control. The woman was rising to her feet, looking embarrassed as she took her flower crown headband back from Carapace. Ladybug took a steadying breath and nodded, throwing her bandalore skyward before pushing off, and he was quick to follow.

She disappeared for a moment, undoubtedly to feed her kwami before she returned in a flash of red across the skyline. Leading him to a secluded rooftop close to their apartment building and touching down on silent paws, he padded closer to gently rest his hands on her shoulders. Chat could barely stand it anymore, she was so close, and all he wanted to do was press his lips to her throat and beg her to pet him. It took everything he had not to simply throw himself at her feet, the shivering already beginning to grip his spine, his tail twitching from it. Instead he rubbed her arms, leaning in to nuzzle her and breathe deep just to paint his lungs with her scent. It had only been hours, but it felt like years.

“What’s wrong, buginette? I’m here, I’ll always be here for you.” Gently he wrapped her in his arms, and he felt her shaking, and he was horrified to hear her begin to growl, the beginnings of angry tears shining on her lashes.

“Oh minou, I know I’m not supposed to talk about our civilian lives, but I need your help. My—my friend Marinette, she told me someone had taken her mate Adrien Agreste. She thinks it might be his father, but I don’t know what to do aside from rip the front gates down.” A flimsy lie at best when she was flexing her fingers like she was a heartbeat away from shredding the Eiffel Tower with her bare hands or throwing his father’s fancy car straight into the sun, and he purred for her, nuzzling her and rubbing his face against her until her angry chattering ceased. When it had settled to an unhappy trilling, he huffed softly into her bangs before he spoke, soaking up the startled chuckle it pulled from her.

“I understand, my lady. I’ll be happy to help.” So close she didn’t seem to notice his lips brush her skin when he nuzzled her, purring until she fully relaxed in his arms. “I...had something similar happen today.” He watched her through his eyelashes, his thumbs stroking her spots, and drinking in the blue of her eyes when she looked up at him, full of worry. Oh, his sweet lady. He wanted to kiss the frown from her face, lick the crease away from between her pinched brows.

“Chat, what happened?” Her hands rose, and he took her hand in his, pressing it to his cheek, kissing her palm.

“I was waiting for my mate to come home, and I was taken away before she could come back. I’ve missed her very much all afternoon.” He turned her hand over, kissing her knuckles as he watched her face. The confusion in her eyes was bringing out her sharp wits, lips pursing and brows furrowing even deeper as her mind raced. His clever lady, her mind always working so fast that the rest of her struggled to keep up. One of his hands settled at the small of her back as he leaned in, his breath stirring her bangs.

“My lady, may I ask you a question?” He could feel her shiver at his touch, at the way he whispered and purred for her. The way her scent grew clear and sharp and so familiar he shivered in delight and wanted nothing more than to rub against her.

“O-of course, Chaton. What is it?” The delicate pink on her cheeks that let him barely make out her freckles in the dying sunlight. He ran his gaze over her face, the soft cheeks and softer lips, already leaning in to rub the tip of his nose to hers.

“May I please taste you, my lady? Please.” He purred, his thumb stroking her knuckles as he slowly pulled her closer. Feeling her soft form against his, his fingers tracing her spine until she shuddered and let out the softest moan.

“I...I shouldn’t, I have-I have someone, Chaton.” She bit her lip as he gently released her hand, his claws tracing the collar of her suit. Plucking at it, but he didn’t even need to worry, finding what he was looking for as he brushed a finger across the mark he’d left on her throat before she’d gone on her errands. His lady bit her lip, and he wanted so much to be the one to suck it for her, to run his tongue across it. The thought made heat pool in his belly, his suit feeling too tight and growing more so by the moment.

“I have someone as well, buginette. But I feel like she’s closer now than ever. I left her a parting gift when she left, begging her to come home soon because I’d miss her. I meant that.” His nose parted her bangs, breathing deep as his eyes fell mostly shut. If this wasn’t his Marinette then his nose was a liar, and he was going to embarrass himself, but he was willing to take that risk even as the ache for her touch settled deep into his bones. “You smell like home, my lady. I waited for you in our nest just like I promised, and you still smell like my shampoo.”

Ladybug was shivering all over, and a part of him worried if he’d overstepped his bounds. Had he said too much? Would she be cross with him? He needed her so badly he could cry, but her fingers brushed his face and he sank into her touch without question. It was like they were fourteen again; his lady nervous and afraid while he could barely contain his excitement, her fingers tracing the edge of his mask and burying in his hair, and then she was tugging him close enough to plant her nose right in the part in his hair and breathe deeply. For a moment she froze, then she pushed him back until they were almost nose to nose as she stared into his eyes. His ears twitched forward as he chirruped at her, purring so hard he hoped she could feel it.

“...Adrien?” Her voice sounded so small, but he smiled for her. Not his Chat Noir smirk that he used when he was being playful and sassy, but his own smile, nervous and giddy as it felt like all his dreams came true at once. No wonder Plagg was so angry with him these past few years. He’d been seeing spots and running right past her all at the same time. He was going to make it up to her, he’d try his best, she deserved nothing less than that.

“As always, my lady.” He kissed her knuckles again, looking at her through his eyelashes as he ducked his head, his tail shyly curling about her calf. “So...may I please have that taste? I want...I want to be sure.” Butterflies fluttered in his stomach like he’d eaten a handful of akuma, but Ladybug made it worth it as she laughed, breathless and nervous and she had to fan her face as she nodded.

“Yes, of course, whenever you like!” But she seemed to realize her mistake when the words left her mouth, as she flushed as bright as her suit, pressing her fingers to her lips as his grin grew. Eyebrows wagging at her as he leaned closer, he could feel her shiver as he purred.

“Be careful what you wish for, my queen.” His fangs rasped her jaw and she let out a mew, and he had to hold himself back from ravishing her there on the rooftop. His lips latched on to the mark he’d left on her that afternoon, sucking until she moaned for him, but that wasn’t what he truly wanted. Circling the darkening mark with the tip of his tongue just enough to make her squirm, he left a trail of kisses and licks to the place at the corner of her jaw. Flicking his tongue across her earring just to tease her, he lapped at her throat, trailing his tongue over what bare skin he was allowed by her suit.

“ _My Marinette._ ” He purred, almost crushing her to him as he buried his face against her throat and cried from the overwhelming emotions that came flooding in as they sank to the rooftop in a messy heap, his lovely Ladybug dragged down by his weight. It didn’t matter, as long as she held him close it was the only thing in the world that he cared about.


End file.
